Key allies of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage have accused the BBC of “planting” illegal migrants in the audience of a special immigration edition of Question Time broadcast from Dover last night. Richard Tice, the party’s deputy leader, and Zia Yusuf, its head of policy and a prominent Farage confidant, led the furious backlash after Thursday’s programme, claiming the corporation deliberately stacked the audience with small-boat arrivals to undermine Reform’s anti-immigration message.
Taking to X immediately after the broadcast, Mr Yusuf posted a string of clips and accusations that rapidly went viral. He said: “There were literally multiple people who arrived in this country illegally by boat asking questions on tonight’s Question Time Immigration Special!”
He wrote this in the opening post of a thread that has already been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. He singled out an Iranian man who read a lengthy, scripted question from his phone opposing British withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights and even citing the Northern Ireland Protocol.
He added: “Incredibly, the BBC planted multiple illegal migrants in the audience. One said his asylum application had been rejected in SIX countries and so he came to Britain by small boat.”
That individual, an Afghan named Ashraf, asked the panel whether he should be deported. Yusuf, who was on the panel alongside Labour’s Yvette Cooper and others, replied on air that a Reform Government would remove him.
Mr Tice added: “Another BBC QT plant reminding us all why fundamental reform is needed. Viewers are sick and tired of this bias.”
The pair’s posts triggered an immediate online storm, with #BBCBias trending and Reform supporters branding the episode a “set-up”.
The BBC has strongly rejected the claims, insisting that only two audience members with direct experience of the asylum system were selected to ask questions.
A spokesman said: “As immigration continues to be a primary concern for people in the UK, Question Time held a special episode in Dover with panellists from across the political spectrum and a local audience with a range of views and experiences.
“Over 20 audience members asked questions and contributed to the debate – including two people with direct experience of the asylum system in the UK who have been granted refugee status.”
The row has handed Reform UK fresh ammunition as the party continues to climb in the polls, regularly exceeding 20 %. Both Mr Tice and Mr Yusuf have previously called for the abolition of the licence fee and tougher action on Channel crossings. Sources close to the party said the incident would be highlighted in the coming days as proof of what they describe as entrenched establishment bias against Reform’s agenda.
