Nick Ferrari clashes with Home Office Minister Robert Jenrick over his language towards Albanians
18 January 2023, 09:19
Nick Ferrari has a heated clash with Robert Jenrick over his language
Nick Ferrari and Home Office Minister Robert Jenrick clash over his language towards Albanians.
A diplomatic incident has been caused by the release of a promotional video praising those finding and detaining illegal migrants from Albania. Nick Ferrari and Home Office Minister Robert Jenrick, who released the video, had a heated clash on Nick's breakfast show.
Robert Jenrick told Nick: "I don't regret the video, but I do think it's important that we work constructively with the Albanian government as indeed we are."
Nick asked: "How is that constructive?"
"I want to have the most productive relationship we can with the Albanian government," the Minister responded.
"Well why have you offended them then?" Nick hit back.
Mr Jenrick defended: "What we have to be able to distinguish between is the Albanian diaspora in this country who we respect and want to work with as closely as we can - British citizens who are of Albanian decent, those who choose to come here legally...and those who are coming here illegally on small boats.
"It is absolutely right that the government takes a very strong line on that and it is a particular focus of the PM and myself to bear down on the phenomena that we saw last year which was a very large number of Albanians coming illegally...Albania is a safe country!"
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We are working around the clock to remove illegal Albanian migrants and foreign national offenders.
— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) January 13, 2023
Yesterday I visited an immigration removal centre to witness our weekly removal flights to Albania and thank staff for their crucial work to enforce our borders and keep us safe. pic.twitter.com/b8SPvTtVZ2
Nick highlighted: "You're quoted as saying 'I've been meeting the fantastic staff who have been working...to find the Albanians, to detain them, to put them onto coaches, to take them to the airport, and to take them back to Tirana.'
"Nowhere in that sentence do you mention illegality. Imagine if another country said that of Britons."
The Home Office Minister stated: "What is crucial here is that those individuals that come here illegally and those people who are foreign national offenders...are officially removed by my immigration enforcement officers and returned to their home countries."
Mr Jenrick said he "won't be deterred" from continuing his work but will continue to "work productively" with the Albanian government.
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