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Small boat arrivals are ‘wealthy men’ who do not deserve help, says Reform’s Danny Kruger

Small boat arrivals are ‘wealthy men’ who do not deserve help, says Reform’s Danny Kruger

theguardian.com 19.09.2026 16:30 2 views
The fact that some migrants pay people smugglers thousands of pounds makes them well off, MP claimsAsylum seekers who arrive on small boats across the Channel are “wealthy men” who do not deserve the help of the British

Asylum seekers who arrive on small boats across the Channel are “wealthy men” who do not deserve the help of the British state, according to the Reform UK MP Danny Kruger. The former Conservative, who defected last year, said the fact that some migrants were paying criminal people smugglers thousands of pounds – often their life savings or money which is borrowed – made them well off. The claim was immediately dismissed by charities who support refugees.

Speaking at the Big Brue festival in Bruton, Somerset, Kruger said: “By the way, most of them comparatively wealthy and fit young men who’ve crossed safe countries to begin the journey to the UK.” Asked by moderator, the editor of the Independent, Geordie Greig, how he knew these men are wealthy, Kruger said: “Because they’re paying thousands of pounds. They’re paying thousands of pounds to people smugglers to get here. Comparatively wealthy, compared to the people who I think most of us can regard as really deserving of the compassion of the British taxpayer.” Seema Syeda, a Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants spokesperson said it is untrue that most asylum seekers who arrive on boats are wealthy.

She said: “The reality is that most asylum seekers who arrive here are denied the right to work, live off as little as £8 a week, and can end up in destitution. But in the end, whether rich or poor, people fleeing war and persecution deserve to be welcomed. The right to safety is a human right.

Kruger said Goodwin was correct to make these incendiary remarks. He said: “There are some drug-dealing goat-herders who we’ve admitted to this country, so I mean, it’s factual.” Asked by Greig if he accepted that language, he said: “Yes I do.” He added: “And they don’t like our country.” Kruger said he was concerned “about kind of massive cultural transformation. And yes, the admission to our country of many people who do not share the values that we all love, and I’m afraid to say it’s not just recent migrants.” The Reform MP, who defected from the Conservative party last year, complained about second- and third-generation migrants.

He said: “In fact, I think recent migrants are probably more pro-British because they’ve come here for a reason. We’ve got a problem with second- and third-generation immigrants because they are, and it’s a fault of politics that we that this has happened. We have an alienated generation, many many people, millions of people, for whom they don’t love their country, they don’t think that Britain is great, and they don’t feel that they are part of the mainstream society that that we have here, and that is our challenge.” He said current policies would cause civil war: “We continue down the path of segregation and of you know elite virtue signaling, pretending we’re all a lovely multicultural diversity is our strength, and it’s rude to even point out any problems.” Rachel Millward, deputy leader of the Green party, said: Reform is a party funded by billionaires that chooses to attack the most vulnerable in our society – people fleeing environmental breakdown, famine and war.

We’re calling for more safe routes so that those who need asylum can apply for it before they leave their own country, and never have to face a dangerous crossing in a small boat.”

Extract — continue reading at the source.

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