Poll shows majority want migrants detained as lorry entries continue
GB News reveals lorry migrant entries and a poll showing 57% support detention, as a row grows over the RNLI's role in rescuing migrants.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Lorry entries and detention poll
GB News has revealed that illegal migrants are entering the UK via lorries, with footage showing one man strapped underneath a lorry and a group exiting a vehicle with the driver seemingly complicit. The report comes as a new YouGov poll, commissioned by The Times, shows strong public support for detaining migrants until their asylum claims are heard.
The poll found that 57% of the public believe migrants should be effectively imprisoned until their claims are processed. More than two-thirds, 65%, want previously approved asylum claims, even historical ones, to be reviewed with a view to deportation. Only 10% hold a favourable view of migrants who cross the Channel in dinghies. Support for detention cuts across party lines: 92% of Reform UK voters, 77% of Conservative voters, 42% of Liberal Democrat voters and 41% of Labour voters back the measure.
Reform UK's home affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, said the public was "at breaking point" and called for mass deportation of all illegal migrants. He also criticised the government for housing migrants in communities, citing a plan to place up to 3,500 men in a village of 350 people. He made controversial claims about Afghan nationals being more likely to commit sex offences, citing Ministry of Justice data.
Separately, a row has broken out over the role of the RNLI in rescuing migrants. Suella Braverman, the former Home Secretary and now a leading Reform UK figure, said every British port must refuse entry to what she called the "RNLI taxi service" and turn boats back to France. Her comments follow an incident in which a large vessel was escorted by the RNLI and disembarked near Portsmouth after being turned away from other ports.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, a vice president of the RNLI, defended the charity, saying it is tasked to save lives at sea and only goes out when asked by the Coast Guard. He said the RNLI is not involved in politics and that refusing entry to a ship in distress would be against international practice. He also criticised those abusing volunteers, saying anyone in trouble at sea would be glad of the RNLI's help.
The coverage highlights the ongoing political debate over immigration, with public opinion appearing to harden and a clash over the humanitarian role of the RNLI.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One | BBC Two | GB News |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suella Braverman called for RNLI lifeboats to be refused entry to ports if carrying migrants. | · | ||
| A poll found 10% of the public hold a favourable view of Channel migrants. | · | · | |
| A YouGov poll found 57% support for detaining migrants until their claims are heard. | · | · | |
| A YouGov poll found 65% support for reviewing previously approved asylum claims. | · | · | |
| Illegal migrants were reported entering the UK via lorries, including one strapped underneath a lorry. | · | · | |
| Ports are legally obliged to accept ships in distress under the principle of port of refuge. | · | · | |
| The RNLI escorted a large vessel that brought migrants to the UK. | · | · | |
| The RNLI only responds when tasked by the Coast Guard. | · | · | |
| Zia Yusuf claimed Afghan nationals are 20 times more likely to be convicted of sex offenses than British nationals. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
GB News focused on its own exclusive about lorry migrant entries and a YouGov poll showing public support for detention. The tone was strongly anti-immigration, framing the government as out of touch and calling for tougher action. It gave a platform to Reform UK's Zia Yusuf, who made provocative claims about migrants and criticised the government's housing policy.
- “Everywhere we look, our borders seem to be broken”
- “The British public are at breaking point”
- “That changes when Reform's in power”
BBC Two's Newsnight focused on the RNLI controversy, reporting Suella Braverman's call for ports to refuse entry to the charity's boats. The tone was more neutral, giving a platform to Sir Robin Knox-Johnston to defend the RNLI's role. It did not cover the lorry entry or the poll, instead concentrating on the humanitarian and legal aspects of the rescue.
- “I think she's missing the point”
- “The RNLI is tasked to go out and rescue people at sea”
- “You cannot refuse to have a ship in distress into the port”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.