The deputy chairman of the Conservative Party claims Labour will “never get a grip” on illegal migration while ripping into Sir Keir Starmer’s asylum claims crackdown.
Speaking to GB News’ Christopher Hope and Ellie Costello, Matt Vickers blasted the series of “gimmicks” installed by the Government since it entered Government.
Today, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is gearing up to unleash an overhaul to Britain’s human rights laws in a bid to boost the number of deportations.
She will set out comprehensive plans in Parliament to scale up removals of people with no right to be in the UK, including foreign criminals, in what the Government dubs the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in modern times.
While Mr Vickers admitted the reforms were a “step in the right direction”, he did not hold back when pummeling Labour’s migration record.
“I don’t think we’ll ever expect Labour to get a grip of it the way that they’re going. But the reality is there’s some small steps in the right direction here,” Mr Vickers told Christopher and Ellie.
“Of course, a lot more gimmicks. And we know this Labour approach well. This Government’s approach to immigration is all about gimmicks.”
Under the recent “one-in, one-out” plan the UK agreed with France, two “hokey-cokey” migrants who had been deported had returned, the Home Office admitted.
The migrant returned on Sunday, just a week after an Iranian migrant was sent back to France after he did the same under Labour’s scheme.
The shadow minister did admit the sweeping reforms were a ‘step in the right direction’
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GB NEWS
The pilot scheme was intended to act as a deterrent. Now, Ms Mahmood is about to unveil a series of new Danish-style measures to make the UK appear more unappealing to asylum seekers.
Since their landslide victory in July 2024, Labour has watched over a significant jump in small boat crossings, with 45,000 arrivals recorded in the year ending August 31, 2025, the Migration Observatory noted.
The figure is also a staggering 47 per cent higher than the year before.
“Everything is going in the wrong direction,” Mr Vickers lamented. “But are we surprised that Keir Starmer has presided over such a situation?
BRITAIN’S MIGRANT CRISIS – READ MORE:
Shabana Mahmood will announce the plans in detail today
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PA
“This is a guy who said that all border controls had an element of racism in them. He’s a guy who voted against every single measure brought forward to toughen up our asylum system.
“No surprises that everything is going the wrong way on illegal immigration in this country with them at the driving wheel.
“We welcome any moves to toughen up the system, but the reality is they shouldn’t be waiting. If you come to this country and other Government prefers to talk about it as irregular migration.
“If you come to this country illegally, you should not be allowed to stay. Full stop. You should be removed and sent home.”
Christopher dug in deeper, saying: “And that didn’t happen when you were in power for 14 years. We’ve got the viewers screaming at the TV or their radio now saying you had your chance.
“You blew it. Why on earth do you have any right to say anything?”
In response, Mr Vickers pointed to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch’s concession that, under previous Governments, the number of those arriving illegally “was way too high”.
Under the Tories, small boat crossings skyrocketed despite attempts to deter the migrants, such as the Rwanda scheme.
Under Boris Johnson, net migration jumped from 484,000 in 2021 to 634,000 in 2022 and 906,000 in 2023.
