BBC Breakfast ‘bias’ debate erupts as Philp snaps at Munchetty in fiery migrant crossing row: ‘Showing her Left-wing BIAS!’
A rather fierce debate has emerged among BBC Breakfast viewers after Conservative politician Chris Philp faced a grilling from Naga Munchetty during Thursday’s show.
Philp has found himself in the news in the past 24 hours after he reported live from the English Channel on Wednesday to see what impact Labour’s “one-in, one-out” illegal migrant policy had had on crossing attempts.
Philp has been a vocal critic of the pilot scheme from the Home Office, claiming it won’t act as an effective deterrent to stop migrants from making the journey.
During his interview with Munchetty, the BBC presenter kicked things off by bringing up Philp’s foray into the Channel yesterday in which he witnessed illegal migrant crossings. “I found two boats stuffed full of people crossing the Channel… there had been no deterrent effect whatsoever,” Philp said.
“The whole thing was completely shambolic and there was no sign whatsoever of the government’s supposed new deal having any effect whatsoever,” he added after reeling off a few other examples from what he witnessed in the Channel.
Munchetty then asked: “Do you think it’s reasonable to expect there to be an immediate deterrent effect just hours into the agreement?”
“The point about a deterrent is that people know if they try and cross, they’re going to get returned, and, obviously, this agreement is not going to do that, because -” Philp attempted to answer.
“No, no. That’s not my question,” Munchetty interjected. “It was a few hours into the agreement. I think it came into force at midnight. I don’t know what time you were out at sea, but do you think that deterrent would’ve been immediate?”
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Philp stood firm: “Well, I mean, that’s how deterrence works because people know they’re going to get returned -“
“No, it’s not. No, it’s not,” Munchetty butted in as the two began to talk over one another. The BBC presenter continued: “You see evidence of a plan in place, and then that is then forward or understood by others, and that’s how a deterrent works; it doesn’t work straight away.”
“Well, I think the point is it should work straight away,” Philp responded before finding himself interrupted once more by Munchetty, who pressed: “Did Rwanda work straight away?”
Philp went on: “Anyway, common sense tells you the government’s plan is not going to work because the only numbers that have been reported on are 50 a week, which amounts to six percent of people crossing the Channel.
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“Now, if six percent get returned and 94 percent get to stay, that is no deterrent at all.”
Munchetty took the reins of the conversation once more, wading in: “Well, we’re two days in, but tell me… when the Rwanda policy was proposed, the Conservative government said that would be a deterrent, it wasn’t put in place, but it was a deterrent already, just the proposal.
“How much of a deterrent was it, the day after it was proposed?” Muchetty probed. Philp replied: “It’s not about proposing a deal, it’s about the deal coming into force-“
“You said it would be a deterrent!” Munchetty cut in, prompting Philp to snap: “Let me finish the point. As you’ve already acknowledged, the Rwanda scheme never actually came into force; it was never actually in effect.
“Labour’s rubbish deal did come into effect yesterday,” Philp continued before outlining the “legal reasons” why the Rwanda scheme didn’t get off the ground.
“Keir Starmer cancelled it just days before it was about to start, there was no replacement plan in place – let me finish,” Philp continued as Munchetty once again tried to interject.
He went on: “The consequence of that was that 2025 has been the worst year in history for illegal Channel crossings because they cancelled that scheme with no replacement plan in place.
“Had it started, I think it would’ve been effective, because the Rwanda scheme, compared to this Labour scheme that started yesterday, would’ve seen every illegal migrant crossing the Channel returned, either to their home country or Rwanda.”
As the discussion approached its conclusion, Munchetty finished with one final point, bringing up how the Conservative Party had suggested that the Rwanda scheme’s announcement alone was, in fact, a deterrent.
“My view is a real deterrent is when it starts,” Philp hit back. “The Rwanda agreement never actually got implemented because Keir Starmer cancelled it just a couple of weeks before it was set to commence, and I think that was a terrible mistake.”
Following the rather tense clashes between Philp and Munchetty, BBC viewers flocked to social media to express their dismay at the manner in which the interview unfolded.
Taking aim at Munchetty, one X user criticised: “As usual.. Naga is showing her left-wing bias. Fair point if she had done the same to the Labour lot. As for Rwanda.. it was no deterrent as the migrants could see endless court actions stopping it #bbcbreakfast.”
“Munchetty is a complete clown who is the wokest t****r ever,” a second harshly put.
And Munchetty even came under fire for not pushing Philp enough. “@TVNaga01 You let Philp talk over you this morning, yet never pressed home his own failure and those of his Government, which @grok explains here. There were no boats until Brexit,” a third fumed.
However, others took aim at Philp for the calibre of his answers to Munchetty. “Seeing Naga absolutely destroy Chris Philp for being a childish brat may be the best way to start the day. Seeing right through his [bulls**t] #BBCBreakfast,” one X user argued.
“When Chris Philp appears on my TV screen, I am grateful for the mute button,” a second blasted before a third fumed: “Please stop interviewing this man… he never allows the full question to be asked, lies, talks rubbish, but at least Naga got her points across, well done trying to hold him to account.” (sic)