Nigel Farage used PMQs today to tear into Keir Starmer's record on small boats, days after a new record of 10,000 crossings was hit this year.
Mr Farage demanded that the PM finally admit his 'smash the gangs' rhetoric was merely an election slogan, and not a policy that will end Britain's migration madness.
Taking to his feet in the Commons for the weekly session, the Reform UK leader said: "This year, 10,000 young, undocumented males have illegally crossed the English Channel into our country - a 40% increase on this time last year, many coming from cultures that are somewhat alien to ours."
"They are being housed at a cost of many billions of pounds a year in hotels, and increasingly in private rented homes. The effect on communities is one of a sense of deep unfairness, actually bordering on resentment.
"In Runcorn alone, there are 750 of these young men in just in one constituency alone.
"Is it not time to admit that smash the gangs was nothing more than an election slogan, and not a policy. Isn't it time to declare a national emergency and act accordingly?"
Mr Farage cited Runcorn ahead of the major by-election in the north west constituency tomorrow.
It’s Labour’s 16th safest seat in the country, but polls suggest it will come down to just a couple of hundred votes between Reform and Labour.
Responding to the Reform leader, Keir Starmer tore into Mr Farage for voting against Labour’s current laws working their way through parliament aimed at stopping people smuggling across the Channel.
The Prime Minister said: “We are passing a borders bill with extensive powers to smash the gangs.”
"These are terrorist-like powers. They give powers to the police to intercept where they think the suspects are committing people smuggling, which is a vile trade. We must take back control of our borders after last government lost control.
“What did he this party do? Did they support those extra measures to smash the gangs? No, they went through the lobby with [the Tories] in their new coalition to vote against them.”
In a panicked move ahead of tomorrow’s local election, the Labour leader added: “Let’s be clear what a vote for his party means.”
“It means a vote to charge for the NHS. It means a pro-Putin foreign policy. And a vote against workers’ rights.
“And now we hear, Mr. Speaker, he’s recruited Liz Truss as his new top adviser after he was cheering on the mini budget!”
Sir Keir is expected to suffer losses in tomorrow’s local elections, despite winning a landslide majority last year.
