GB News star Eamonn Holmes has launched a scathing attack on the Government's latest £100 million investment to combat people smuggling operations, dismissing the funding as "a load of bunk" during his GB News programme.
His criticism comes after it was revealed more than 25,000 migrants have already crossed the Channel in small boats this year - the fastest rate ever recorded for this point in the calendar.
"Why are we wasting £100m on this?" Eamonn questioned on air, expressing frustration at what he perceives as ineffective spending.
Reddrop, who previously worked in Number 10 during the development of the Rwanda scheme, acknowledged the Conservatives' own struggles with immigration policy but emphasised that the situation has deteriorated further under Labour.
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"Things have got worse and this is a joke. It's a bizarre joke," Reddrop stated, suggesting that the current administration has already "given up" on addressing the crisis merely one year into their term.
The Home Office has unveiled plans to allocate the £100 million towards recruiting up to 300 additional National Crime Agency personnel and acquiring advanced detection technology to target smuggling networks.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the investment, stating it would "turbo-charge the ability of our law enforcement agencies to track the gangs and bring them down" whilst working with international partners.
The funding will also support a new pilot programme with France, enabling the UK to return some migrants across the Channel whilst accepting an equivalent number of asylum seekers with British connections.
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Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp dismissed the announcement as a Labour "gimmick" that would make "no real difference" to border security.
"They have no serious plan, just excuses, while ruthless criminal gangs flood our borders with illegal immigrants," Philp argued.
Reddrop suggested that whichever political party successfully addresses the immigration crisis would secure victory at the next general election, identifying it as voters' primary concern.
"Labour, if you solve this mission, you can win the next election," he told GB News, whilst expressing doubt about their commitment to finding solutions.
GB NEWS |
It has been a record breaking year for small boat crossings
Eamonn questioned whether Government ministers genuinely comprehend the complexity of the situation, particularly regarding France's role in the crisis.
"What if they don't know they've given up? What if they don't know there's no incentive in France to solve this?" the presenter asked, suggesting such ignorance would be more troubling than deliberate inaction.
"That would annoy me more. It would worry me more, if they don't have the wit to realise there's no chance of this working," Eamonn added.
Reddrop characterised the £100 million as a "small amount of money" being channelled into measures that are "clearly not working", reinforcing his view that the government lacks both the strategy and determination to tackle the escalating crisis effectively.