GB News presenter Ben Leo launched into a fiery debate following the deputy prime minister’s divisive comments in government on immigration
GB News presenter Ben Leo didn’t hold back when he launched into a fiery debate following Angela Rayner’s recent controversial comments on immigration. The deputy prime minister gave a no holds barred briefing to cabinet colleagues on Tuesday (July 22), where she linked economic woes and immigration to community tensions.
Now, the 36-year-old broadcaster has expressed his frustration at ministerial statements that fail to translate into meaningful policy changes. Declaring that he refuses to listen to what he considers hollow government rhetoric, he fumed: “I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to hear slogans, fears and prayers, actions is the best thing.” He argued that if government officials genuinely cared about the issue, they would implement more substantial measures rather than offering what he characterised as empty promises.
GB News host Ben Leo sparked a fiery debate on immigration (Image: GB News )
During Rayner’s controversial debate, she said the government needed to acknowledge the public’s “real concerns” about societal changes, as well as falling living standards.
She raised concerns about multiple factors affecting British society, including rapid de-industrialisation, technological shifts, and declining institutional trust alongside immigration concerns.
She emphasised that ministers must recognise legitimate public anxieties and work to improve communities across the UK. Noting that 17 of the 18 areas with riots last year sparked by the Southport murders were among the poorest in the UK.
The Labour politician told colleagues that “while Britain was a successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith country, the government had to show it had a plan to address people’s concerns and provide opportunities for everyone to flourish.”
The deputy prime minister has faced backlash for her immigration comments (Image: PA)
Her comments preceded the first anniversary of the Southport tragedy, where three young girls died during a Taylor Swift-themes dance event on July 29, 2024. The incident sparked widespread uproar following false online claims that the convict had arrived via a small boat.
The politician was speaking following the violent scenes in Epping, Essex where protestors clashed near the Bell Hotel which is believed to contain asylum seekers.
Despite concerns, Downing Street have declined to comment on whether the prime minister anticipates further summer disturbances. Ben warned that ongoing border issues and unchecked migration pose serious risks to British society and culture.
He argued that mass immigration at current levels threatens traditional British values and creates particular dangers for women and girls up and down the country.
The broadcaster questioned: “If you have continued invasion of the southern border, mass immigration, British culture being eroded at a fast pace, women and girls under threat, is it any wonder you’re going to have pockets of extremism popping up?”
Ben drew connections between immigration policies and domestic safety concerns, suggesting that arrivals from certain regions holds fundamentally difficult attitudes towards women than those prevalent in Western societies.
He slammed the Prime Minister’s recent statements about protecting women from domestic violence whilst simultaneously permitting what Leo described as “tens of thousands of people coming from a far away land who view women differently to how we do in the West.”
On asylum accommodation, the government highlighted progress in reducing hotel usage from approximately 400 facilities under the previous administration to just over 200 currently, with further closures expected.
But Ben dismissed such measures as insufficient, insisting that rhetoric must be replaced with decisive action. He demanded more robust border controls rather than what he perceives as ineffective police announcements and investment schemes.