A heated discussion on GB News descended into chaos, prompting presenter Andrew Pierce to plead "Can we please calm down" as panellists clashed over migrant crime statistics and the Government's new returns agreement with France.
The explosive exchange erupted between commentator Carole Malone and political commentator Jonathan Lis during a debate about criminal offences committed by asylum seekers housed in British hotels.
The row began when Malone presented data from an investigation into fifty of the 250 hotels housing migrants, revealing four alleged rapes among the recorded offences.
GB NEWS
|The debate exploded between the two guests
She argued that individuals arriving in Britain were being accommodated in four-star establishments at public expense whilst committing serious crimes against local communities.
Malone said: "You know, the chances of us getting any deterrent element here it’s just not happening. There was a figure today from Dan Hodges he said it’s 16 to 1 against it working. That’s a six per cent chance that you’ll be one of the people caught. That’s not a deterrent.
"So if you’re determined to come here and there’s only a six per cent chance of being caught, why wouldn't you."
Lis responded: "I don’t know where he gets that figure from, but one thing I do agree with you on is that this is a gimmick. It’s not going to change any facts on the ground. It’s tinkering around the edges.
"If you think this is a crisis, it’s not going to solve anything. And if you don’t think this is a crisis, then it’s just a distraction from the actual issues.
"As I’ve said many times I think it’s an issue, it’s a problem. There are ways to fix it, which the Government is not entertaining. Safe legal routes, for example.
"Twenty-five thousand people arriving on boats is a problem. It has to be dealt with. But it’s not 'societal collapse,' is it? Nigel Farage is playing this up for his own political interest.
Malone added: "We do know that out-of-control immigration is fuelling crime. And now we have the proof of that.
"Fifty hotels just 50 of the 250 where we house migrants were looked at. From the people in those 50 hotels, 425 criminal offences have been committed. Of those, 109 were violent, 44 were sexual offences, and four were alleged rapes.
"So these people are coming to our country, they’re being put up in four-star hotels at taxpayers’ expense. They’re getting luxuries they’d never have in their own countries and yet they’re still hurting people. They’re robbing."
Lis fumed: "We can’t expect every asylum seeker to be a saint. They’re human beings. Human beings sometimes do bad things."
Malone exploded: "No. You can't say that. You cannot say it is okay to rape people."
GB NEWS
|Andrew Pierce was forced to step in
Lis furiously responded with "how dare you" with Carole echoing the same words in response.
Lis said: "I didn’t say that. I would never say it’s okay to rape. What I’m saying is that some people who come here will commit crimes, and they should be dealt with in the normal way."
Andrew Pierce stepped in as the volume increased and asked: "Can we please calm down?"