Kay Burley clashes with GB News star over migrant crisis remark: 'Just stop it!'

GB News' Ben Leo hit back at former Sky News presenter Kay Burley during a furious social media exchange as they rowed about the ongoing small boats crisis. This was sparked after 230 illegal migrants were crammed onto one dinghy from France, crossing the English Channel to Britain, making it the biggest single arrival of its kind. After Reform UK's home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf shared a photo of the packed boat captioned: "That’s not a 'small boat'. It’s an invasion," Kay responded: "I’ve seen longer queues in the ‘five items or fewer’ isle. Stop it, just stop it!" (sic)

This enraged the GB News star, who mocked the retired journalist and sarcastically responded: "Just stop it, guys. Stop noticing! Look away. Stop overreacting." Ben fumed: "Is it any wonder the country’s in the state it’s in when the media was led by this kind of mindset Not anymore. Thank goodness for GB News."

This prompted Kay to brutally hit back: "I had to look you up, Ben. Bless your cotton socks."

Firing back, the US Correspondent stated: "Don’t worry, I don’t seek notoriety," before issuing a scathing verdict and adding: "I’m just satisfied nobody listens to you anymore."

Smuggling gangs have now spread out towards Dieppe, France, in a bid to avoid police patrols in Calais and Dunkirk.

The small boats being used to cross the Channel have been getting bigger as people smugglers use fewer crossings with more passengers to evade the French authorities.

Despite this, migrant small-boat crossings to the UK this year are down compared with previous years, with around 14,000 making the journey between January and July.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "This latest incident demonstrates the reckless and dangerous tactics employed by the criminal gangs facilitating these crossings, who continue to put lives at risk by cramming ever greater numbers of people onto unseaworthy vessels.

"We are making progress, with the number of small boat crossings down this year and the lowest number recorded for the month of July since 2020.

"But we must go further, which is why we have signed a payment-by-results deal with the French to put 40% more boots on the ground on French beaches."