A veteran Labour MP has declared that Sir Keir Starmer's latest scheme to tackle the migrant crisis "will not work" and warned that the Prime Minister has been "duped" by the French.

Speaking to GB News, Graham Stringer expressed his outrage at Channel migrants being "prioritised" by the Government over his own constituents.

Defending the exchange deal with France, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told GB News that "the transfers to immigration removal centres are underway as we speak".

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Discussing the deal on the People's Channel, Stringer stated: "I'm not convinced this scheme will work. In fact, I have no idea why it's being introduced.

"There are schemes in Europe, in Denmark in particular, they have actually as close as you can get solved the migration problem by a number of measures. I don't know why we're not adapting that and copying that."

Criticising the amount of power France now holds in the operation of the exchange deal, Stringer added: "I don't think this scheme will work. We've transferred the decision making to France, and they will decide whether or not they take these migrants back.

"There are lots of loopholes. If you claim to be under 18, you can't be deported, and if you've got an outstanding claim for human rights you can't be deported. There are a whole series of other holes in the scheme. So sadly, I don't think it's going to work."

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Asked by host Miriam Cates if he believes Britain is being "duped" by the French, Stringer agreed, saying: "We're paying a lot of money to the French for trying to patrol their borders and stopping people getting in boats, so I think we have been duped.

"The people crossing the Channel will only stop if they believe there is no point in coming, if they believe they're going to be detained and deported to wherever, not necessarily France. Then they will stop coming."

Expressing his outrage at the treatment of Channel migrants in comparison to hardworking Britons, Stringer stressed the concerns felt by his own constituents.

Stringer told GB News: "People who come over are getting preferential treatment compared to my constituents.

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"As I'm sure you did when you were an MP Miriam, you get letters and emails from people saying, where can I find a dentist, it's very difficult. Where can I find council housing or social housing? It's very difficult. I can't get a GP appointment.

"These people coming across illegally, having paid international smugglers, international criminals a lot of money, are being given preferential treatment in all those areas, health, dentistry and housing.

"And my constituents are very angry about that indeed."