Andrew Neil has accused Zia Yusuf of talking “total drivel” over how Reform would deal with French opposition to their small boats plan.
This week, Reform announced that if they came into power they would deploy the Royal Navy in the English Channel to push back migrant small boats attempting to get to the UK.
The party said under the plans, called Operation Fortress, navy vessels would return the boats to France and force those on board to disembark on French shores.
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The plan has been slammed as unfeasible and unworkable by many – and a ‘crock of sh*t’ by one former Navy officer – whilst France has made it clear it will not agree to it due to the small matter of it breach international law and violate their sovereignty.
France’s clear objection to the plan is the most obvious issue with Reform’s proposals, but whenever party representatives have been asked how they will deal with this they have had no answer.
The latest instance of this came on Wednesday evening, when Zia Yusuf was asked how his party would deal with French refusal to cooperate.
Speaking on GB News, Yusuf said Royal Marines would be used to land illegal migrants on French beaches “as part of a humanitarian mission.”
Yusuf claimed this would be “completely legal.”
Responding to Yusuf’s words, journalist Andrew Neil – who let’s not forget, was GB News’s founding chairman when it launched – said the Reform man was talking “total drivel.”
He pointed out that even putting to one side the issues of sovereignty and international law, the idea of using the Royal Marines is farcical and a non-starter.
He wrote: This is total drivel. The Royal Marines are going to forcibly return migrants to France? There are circa 6,000 Royal Marines, many already fully deployed in essential work for our national security.
“There are 96,000 very well-armed French gendarmes + the national police + municipal police. And that’s without calling in the 10,000 French super-trained commandos. Not to mention the formidable GIGN [the elite tactical unit of the French Gendarmerie].
“Is Reform trying to start a war with France? One we’d lose …. Bonkers.”