Government and political opponents to take part in televised debate on migration

Representatives from the Government, the Tories, Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats will take part in a televised debate on immigration, Sky News has announced.

The programme will see the representatives from the four political parties discuss measures to tackle migration, after a summer dominated by public debate over small boats crossings.

Zia Yusuf will be attending on behalf of Reform UK, the party said, while the Lib Dems plan to send their home affairs spokeswoman Lisa Smart.

Discontent with how the Government has managed the small boats crisis and housed migrants in hotels has led to a wave of protests over the summer, and criticism from Labour’s political opponents.

Some 29,000 people have arrived in the UK by crossing the English Channel this year so far, a 36% increase on arrivals from the same time the previous year.

The Government’s latest plans to grasp migration include suspending the family reunion route for refugees, and cracking down on international students claiming asylum.

Migrants are also “expected” to be returned to France for the first time later this month, as a deal Sir Keir Starmer struck with Emmanuel Macron comes into force.

Digital ID cards to prevent illegal migrants working in the UK, and moving migrants out of hotels and into old industrial sites are also under consideration, Downing Street has said.

Sky News’s immigration debate will take place at 7pm on Wednesday September 10.