Today’s Loose Women saw the panel – Kaye Adams, Nadia Sawalha, Jane Moore and Kelle Bryan – debate Nigel Farage‘s divisive plans to solve the small boats crisis.
Their discussion came after Rylan Clark unleashed his opinion on the migrants illegally crossing the Channel on This Morning. After sharing his views, some This Morning viewers questioned whether Rylan had gone a bit far, turning the ITV show into GB News.
And, after handing over the airwaves to Kaye and co, they started their show on the exact same topic…
Loose Women panel debate Nigel Farage’s deportation plan
After Kaye introduced the segment as anchor, Jane Moore was the first to speak. A respected journalist, she declared: “Certainly something has to be done. The more recent arrivals, the people who we don’t know who they are… With the small boats, 76% are young single men coming into the country. That is the main concern – just in the way that it’s affecting communities.”
Kaye added: “A lot will depend on how people feel in four years. At the moment, a lot of people feel like life is pretty rubbish. And migrants are being put in the spotlight as the reason for that, which I would question…”
Nadia Sawalha then chipped in: “I’m actually really worried. I know a lot of people just dismiss Nigel Farage and his rantings. But when I look at America and the horror stories of what’s going on over there – people being dragged out of their home, illegal immigrants, I actually… It feels like Trump is Nigel Farage’s man crush,” she said, before claiming that Farage tends to follow President Trump’s lead.
“It’s the oldest trick in the book for a politician to create hate about a group of people, to distract from all that they’re not doing,” she added.
‘Think about what it could mean for you if he gets into power’
Nadia then appeared to become more passionate as she said: “To blame our lack of a good education, lack of good mental health services, the NHS struggling… to blame it all on migrants is very dangerous.
“And I think when you look at America… the Democrats just cast Trump off as a joke. But he’s breaking down the constitution, he’s doing what he wants, rounding people up. We have to be really careful. Farage went to a very posh school, grew up in a billionaire’s home and then he says we know how you’re feeling.”
“That’s my concern about Nigel Farage,” Kelle Bryan said. “That people won’t be reading the detail and thinking it through. I want people to stop and think. How is it going to impact your life? Things like benefits, social services. How is it going to affect you, before you then, in four years time, give him your vote.
“I want people to start thinking in advance that if this man gets into power, what that could actually mean for you.”
‘That’s racist – saying that the foreigners are the rapists’
“The people who would vote Reform tomorrow are the people whose lives are very much affected by the policies,” said Jane Moore. She then added: “It’s all very well for us to sit here, our lives are not really affected by mass immigration.”
That’s racist, that the foreigners are the rapists, you know.
Kaye then spoke up about the Reform conference yesterday and said: “There is an element of misrepresentation. I did hear a lot of we are going to send people back and we are protecting our women and girls. I’m a woman and I have girls and I don’t need to be saved by a man. There are 800,000 rapes and sexual assaults take place in this country and they’re not taking place overnight.”
Nadia could be seen shaking her head and attempting to make her point heard by speaking over Kaye. “And that’s racist, that the foreigners are the rapists, you know,” she said, as Kelle nodded in agreement.
Loose Women star Nadia faces backlash
Loose Women viewers were seriously divided over the debate. While some said ITV had turned into a Party Political Broadcast for Reform today, others praised Nadia and Kelle for being “the voice of reason”. Of course, the foursome also came in for their fair share of backlash – especially after Nadia’s racism comments.
“I‘m so sick of the wealthy sitting on the #loosewomen panel telling me that illegal migration isn’t affecting me,” said another. “We’re not all wealthy and can afford not to be affected by no doctors appointments, NHS waiting times. We can’t all afford private care.”
“Nadia and Kelle are so out of touch as well as treating the electorate as if they’re stupid. We are not, we can make up our own minds and are obviously more informed,” said another.
“Exactly how many asylum seekers are you housing in your POSH area? I’m guessing its ZERO,” said another. “Nadia Sawalha states that worrying about the safety of women and children is racist,” another added.
“Farage is spot on. We cannot have unknown men in this country and I’m appalled that women like you seem to be more concerned by the workfare of these men than the safety of UK citizens,” said another.
Loose Women viewers declare ‘well said, Nadia!’
However, others backed the ladies. One said: “More disgusting dehumanisation of refugees on #LooseWomen. Thank feck for the always wonderful Nadia Sawalha.”
“Well bloody said Nadia. We’re being programmed to believe that the immigrants are the cause of all ills. But they’re not,” said another. “I never thought I’d say it, but thank god for Nadia and Kelle being the voice of reason on ITV today,” a third commented.
Others, however, called for the end of the ITV daytime show, as one posted: “Is it not time @ITV cancelled #LooseWomen? Your out of touch presenters are more interested in their wealthy lives than what’s actually going off and affects people in the UK. This programme is about how much better they are than us.”
Read more: Janet Street Porter and Denise Welch clash in fiery England flag debate
So what did you think of the debate? Tell us on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.