Ukrainian refugees could face eviction under Conservative plans to ban foreign nationals from social housing
Whately said British people had been 'taken for a ride' and that 'billions of pounds of their taxes are going on benefits for foreign nationals and for social housing'
Ukrainians would be evicted from social housing under plans announced by the Conservatives to free up homes for British nationals.
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Helen Whately told LBC's Tom Swarbrick that Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war waged by Russia could face eviction under the opposition party's plans to ban foreign nationals from council housing.
The Conservatives have announced plans to evict 230,000 foreign nationals from social housing - provided by councils and housing associations - if they win the next election.
Under the proposals, foreign nationals not eligible for social housing would be expected to move out of their homes within six months.
UK nationals and people with EU settled status would be eligible for social housing, but new arrivals from EU countries would not be eligible.
Read more: Foreigners evicted from social housing if Tories win next election, Badenoch pledges
Whately, the shadow minister for work and pensions, said British people had been "taken for a ride" and that "billions of pounds of their taxes are going on benefits for foreign nationals and for social housing".
"We have over a million households currently on waiting lists for social housing, often waiting many years," she told Tom.
"But we have nearly a quarter of a million households led by foreign nationals."
She said the policy would "free up 230,000 40,000 social homes" for British nationals and "save up to £4 billion".
The minister clarified the policy would only apply to foreign nationals "already living in social housing".
When asked if Ukrainian families claiming refuge could face eviction, Whately said: "Many Ukrainians who come here are now working and contributing, and that means that they should be in a position to be able to fund their own housing."
Later on, Whately said the government would also stop giving any benefits to all foreign nationals with indefinite leave to remain.
"You won't be able to access, for instance, our benefit system, and that includes not getting access to housing benefit, and that includes not getting access to social housing," she said.
"We're saying you need to be contributing to the UK economy. Our welfare system is a safety net for British people."
Even working foreign nationals paying taxes would not have access to the welfare system or social housing under the proposed policy, she said.
"If you're a foreign national choosing to live in the UK, you shouldn't be drawing benefits from the British welfare system."
Asked how the policy would work in practice, and whether the government would send bailiffs to remove foreign-born tenants from their homes, she said: "A large majority, large number of people living in social housing are actually single individuals."
She said it was "perfectly reasonable" to give people six months to find alternative accommodation.
"We're not changing people's migration status. We're not suddenly pulling the rug from under them and saying you've got to get out tomorrow."
However, the minister struggled when asked by Swarbrick about the party's claims that immigration had spiralled "out of control" under Labour.
"Those numbers are down," he told the minister, referring to small boat crossings.
She said this was due to a Conservative policy to restrict migrants from bringing dependents into the country.
Swarbrick responded: "So it's not out of control, is it?"
She later said that "immigration was too high in the past under Conservative governments, under successive leaders...We're absolutely straight with that."
She said the party was "taking a different approach", including plans to leave the ECHR .