JAMES O’Brien has said a top Conservative MP’s shocking call for asylum seekers to “f*** off back to France” is an attempt to “make ignorance and bigotry mainstream Tory policy”.
The LBC host and liberal commentator took to social media to dissect Lee Anderson’s controversial comments, first reported in the Daily Express.
Anderson, who is the deputy chair of the Tory party, said: “If they don’t like barges then they should f*** off back to France.
“I think people have just had enough. These people come across the Channel in small boats, if they don’t like the conditions they are housed in here then they should go back to France or better not come at all in the first place.”
His comments came on Monday after the first asylum seekers boarded the Bibby Stockholm barge, which is docked at Portland in Dorset.
Anderson, who has earned the nickname “30p Lee” for claiming nutritious meals could be made for that sum, was then accused of attempting to promote “bigotry” using his position of influence within the Conservative Party.
O’Brien tweeted: “You might believe, as much of the Government pretends to do, that there is a legal or logical basis to the claim that refugees should stay in France.
“But language like 30p Lee's is deliberately designed [to] make ignorance and bigotry mainstream Tory policy. And it's all on [Rishi Sunak].”
Anderson’s comments were defended by Justice Secretary Alex Chalk, who told LBC: “Lee Anderson expresses the righteous indignation of the British people. Yes, he does it in salty terms, that’s his style’ but his indignation is well placed.”
Alistair Carmichael, the LibDems’ home affairs spokesperson said Chalk’s comments would have his Cheltenham constituents “spitting out their cornflakes”.
He said: “Alex Chalk's toe-curling interview was yet another sign of how weak this government has become.
"Lifelong Conservative voters expect decent and respectful political debate, something completely lacking amongst Conservative MPs.
"People in Blue Wall Cheltenham would have been spitting out their cornflakes listening to Alex Chalk this morning.
"This Conservative government has made a complete hash of our asylum system after Priti Patel blocked resources to deal with the record 180,000 backlog in cases. This is a mess of their own making."
