'He's gripped the nation!' Nigel Farage defended in fiery GB News clash with ex-Labour MP blasting deportation plan as 'empty promises'

WATCH NOW: Broadcaster Mike Parry and former Labour MP Stephen Pound clash over Reform’s deportation plans

|

GB NEWS

Georgia Pearce

By Georgia Pearce


Published: 27/08/2025

- 13:16

The Reform UK leader said there is a 'genuine threat to public order' due to the 'invasion' of illegal migrants

Nigel Farage has been hailed for "gripping the nation" with his deportation plans as GB News guests Mike Parry and Stephen Pound clashed over the Reform UK leader.

Debating Reform UK's newly announced policy to deport "all illegal migrants" from Britain, Mr Parry claimed Mr Farage made the "speech of speeches".


In a press conference today, the Reform leader doubled down on his policy, stating: "Without action, without somehow the contract between the Government and the people being renewed, without some trust coming back, I fear deeply that anger will grow.

"In fact, I think now as a result of this, there is a genuine threat to public order."

**ARE YOU READING THIS ON OUR APP? DOWNLOAD NOW FOR THE BEST GB NEWS EXPERIENCE**

Mike Parry, Nigel Farage, Stephen Pound

Mike Parry and Stephen Pound descended into a fiery row over Nigel Farage's deportation plan

|

GB NEWS / PA

Praising Mr Farage, Mr Parry told GB News: "Nigel Farage yesterday made the speech of speeches. I haven't seen a politician perform like that for 30 years.

"The stagecraft of the man, he has literally gripped the attention of the nation on the biggest problem that everybody in this country is worrying about. That is fantastic political skill."

Admitting he is "optimistic" for the future of British politics, the broadcaster added: "For the first time in a long time, including 14 years of Tories, I feel very optimistic about the future of this country.

"Because Farage has stirred the conscience of the nation and got us all to open our eyes and see what the threat is to our societies, to our nation, and we're fighting back."

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage said there is a 'genuine threat to public order' due to the 'invasion' of illegal migrants

|

PA

Disagreeing with Mr Parry, former Labour MP Stephen Pound claimed that Reform's plan is full of "empty promises", merely "talking up" the issue of illegal migration.

Mr Pound argued: "The reality is, at the moment Farage is actually talking up the situation. I'll give him credit for his speech, it actually filled the room, no question about that. However, a lot of it was actually bombast and empty promises."

Interjecting Mr Pound, Mr Parry questioned his remarks, fuming: "You're the guy who said Rwanda was bombast! Rwanda would have worked, and now you're talking down another situation."

Weighing in on the debate, host Andrew Pierce highlighted another aspect of Mr Farage's policy which is to remove the UK from the ECHR.

Mike Parry, Stephen Pound

Mike Parry and Stephen Pound clashed over Reform UK's deportation plan

|

GB NEWS

Andrew told the panel: "He's going to take us out of that ridiculous Human Rights Act, so that can stop the judges, and also the ECHR at long last.

"Why should lawyers and human rights lawyers determine who can and cannot stay?"

Mr Pound responded: "It's the interpretation by British lawyers, and particularly immigration judges and immigration tribunal judges, who, quite frankly, are a disgrace in many cases.

"I've taken so many cases to them and I've seen how ludicrous it is, somebody suffering from vertigo or they've got the hiccups or they or they don't like chicken nuggets, it's insane.

"But that's nothing to do with the ECHR, it's to do with our own interpretation of English, British law."

Shutting down Mr Pound's argument, Mr Parry concluded: "But Farage says he will scrap our human rights bill introduced by Tony Blair and replace it with something which is common sense to us.

"I think he was also terribly clever to encourage anybody, no matter what constituency they live in, to start lobbying their own MPs to support his ideas. That will undoubtedly happen."

More From GB News