GB News star Andrew Pierce has blasted the "plain wrong" freebies handed to migrants after GB News exclusively revealed today that deported migrants are to be offered free hotel stays, mental health support, and even help with finding a job or setting up a business after being deported.
Fuming on the People's Channel today, Andrew pointed out that this would have slipped under the radar if it hadn't been for "good journalism" from GB News's Christopher Hope.
Speaking on Britain's News Channel, former Immigration Minister Tom Pursglove said: "This is a new scheme as far as I can see. There are press reports dating back to autumn 2024, so it looks like the Labour Party were cooking this up in opposition and quickly got on with it once they took power.
"I just find this extraordinary, and I think people at home will find it offensive for the very reasons you touched on, Andrew.
"This is a package of support that your viewers, and people across the country, could only hope to access: tracing relatives, mental health support, help to set up a business, education and skills training. When you list it all out, it really shows how absurd it is.
"This is not going to solve the problem. It will not work until every last individual is detained and relocated.
"In fact, I would argue it introduces new perverse incentives for people to make the journey. If they come and stay in Britain, great.
"If they come and are removed, they’re also not badly off they’ve paid the fare to a criminal gang and are still supported. It’s incentivising all the wrong behaviours.”
Andrew Pierce fumed that the benefits are just ‘plain wrong’
|GB NEWS
GB News host Miriam Cates asked: "Do we know how much this scheme has actually been used? How much of the money has been spent?”
He responded: "On the face of it, this is a contract procurement out to tender for £1.8million.
"I can think of dozens of good organisations in this country that could do an awful lot with that money supporting people into work, building skills, helping communities.”
Andrew fumed: "This is just plain wrong. And if it wasn’t for good journalism, which I hope he’s shown, we’d never know about this.”
LATEST ON BRITAIN'S MIGRANT CRISIS
Shabana Mahmood's Home Office is offering to pay a charity or company £1.8million to offer "reintegration support" to migrants who have been deported from the UK to Algeria and Sri Lanka | PAShabana Mahmood's Home Office is set to spend £1.8million on the scheme offering so-called “reintegration support” to migrants deported from the UK to Algeria and Sri Lanka.
The two-year contract, due to begin in April, will see a charity or private company paid to help returnees resettle after removal from Britain.
According to the Home Office’s own tender documents, the provider must be willing to work with individuals who have criminal convictions in the UK, including foreign national offenders.
The scheme has already raised eyebrows, with critics questioning why taxpayers’ money is being used to fund support packages for deported migrants, including those convicted of crimes, while services at home remain under pressure.
The scale of the taxpayer-funded package appears at odds with the increasingly tough rhetoric being used by Ms Mahmood against migrants who arrive in Britain illegally.
The decision to limit the scheme to just two countries is also likely to raise questions over whether similar arrangements exist elsewhere and how much UK taxpayers are ultimately footing the bill.
A Home Office spokesman said the scheme “plays a crucial part in negotiating returns arrangements with other countries”.