star Harry Cole led a tense debate with former Home Secretary , challenging her on the ’s control of the borders.
As the broadcaster showed the politician a graph on the growth of net migration, he said, “Look at that. That was on your watch. Where exactly on that graph were you the home secretary?”
Patel interjected, “We should first of all recognise that we ended free movement,” to which Cole agreed: “You ended free movement for Europeans; you opened the borders to the rest of the world.”
Before he could finish, the MP stated: “We always said that in , Harry.” However, he interrupted: “No come on, that is not fair.
“You did not say ‘We’re going to hit 1.2m net migration, allow 1.2m people into the country in one year.”
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“Did every one of those 1.2m people flooding into the country in the last three years, did they need to come here?” challenges Priti Patel to apologise for promising to take back control of borders, before ‘throwing them open’.?????? WATCH:
— Talk (@TalkTV)
As she admitted: “No we did not say that in terms of numbers,” Patel insisted: “So let me finish.
“The brightest and the best come into our country, people on skilled work visas,” but as Cole pointed at the graph and questioned: “Is that the brightest and the best,” Patel hit back: “It’s migration, Harry.
“It’s legal. People who come here and work and contribute to our economy, the brightest and the best, look at our points-based immigration system.”
Patel continued: “Harry, let me give you some facts; for the first time ever, we have a points-based immigration system counting people in and out.
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TalkTV showed a graph on the rise of net migration (Image: YouTube )
“You can turn off the immigration system at any stage in terms of what our economy needs and doesn’t need. The government should’ve done more, absolutely on skills and training Brits “
Cole questioned: “Did everyone of those 1.2m people that flooded into the country in the last three years, did they need to come here?”
To which Patel countered: “So what would you say to the Ukrainians that are in our country?”
After Cole responded: “That’s 300,000,” the MP agreed and added: “What would you say to the BNO’s, what would you say also to people who came here from conflict and all the rest of it?”