Up next in 10
WATCH: Clare Muldoon fears 'dystopian' move by Keir Starmer amid plans to seize migrant phones
Jan 5, 2026
Sir Keir Starmer's latest plan to tackle Britain's migrant crisis has been torn apart by Andrew Pierce, branding the move "embarrassing".Discussing the policy on GB News, the Britain's Newsroom host declared the plan to seize mobile phones and sim cards from illegal migrants "laugh out loud".FULL STORY HERE.
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
Shall we talk about migrants' phones
0:02
Yes, let's. This is a laugh-out-loud moment, isn't it, in the history of this country
0:07
Well, the story is, as you know, that illegal migrants coming over all have got mobile phones
0:13
Mostly they do. Because that is the business model of contacting either their handlers or other people that they know here
0:22
From today, law enforcement will be able to seize those phones, but moreover sees the data within those phones
0:30
which will then hopefully give lines to the people who are conducting this human trafficking
0:36
because that is what it is. So they are now going to drop them over the side
0:41
because the people smugglers will say, give us your phone. People smugglers won't even let them get on the boat with a phone
0:46
Of course they won't. They'll take them off them before they get on the phone. Are you not stunned as we are, Claire
0:50
that we got to this point where this... A marder has been crossing our channel for years
0:55
The problem with this Andrew is if this law is passed where will it end We don want any militia we don want any government being able to seize these things from any other member of the public
1:10
They're breaking the law. They are. Indeed they are. But my point is, if the gangs had been smashed years ago when they ought to have been
1:18
if Yvette Cooper, when she was Home Secretary, took a stronger line
1:22
this wouldn't even have had to come into play. this wouldn't even have had to be outdone now
1:28
because it's really ridiculous. And I do fear for the future. I do fear for this law being passed if we can actually..
1:35
But you're thinking this could apply to all sorts of other people? Yes, and it will
1:39
This is the thing. So at the moment, and correct me if I'm wrong, but at the moment, if you are arrested
1:44
the police actually, surprisingly, don't have a right to seize your devices
1:48
No, that's right. If you are, say, arrested for some sort of sexual offence
1:54
I think there a slightly different nuance to that whereby they can demand to see your devices because you might have child Or something like or something like that So I completely see your point Clare In other words if this law is blanket
2:06
it means that anyone who is arrested at any point... These guys are not being arrested
2:13
Exactly. That's the difference. You don't have to be arrested. The police can just knock on your door and say
2:18
right, I need to look at your devices. But why aren't they arrested? Because they've broken the law. Every one of them, when they get off the boat
2:23
have broken the law. Should be arrested. or sent to a centre that they can then process them
2:28
as asylum seekers. I think the problem is they probably technically haven't broken the law
2:35
They have. So they would consider themselves refugees. Now, we can all disagree or agree whether they are or they aren't
2:41
or whether they're economic migrants taking them in. However, if you do identify as a refugee
2:46
you're protected under the UN Convention, which says you can travel by disparate means
2:51
because if you were a refugee... country or a country that you not safe in Yes so you not flying out of Baghdad You will travel via regular means which is where therefore they haven technically broken the law because the law covers them for that I think this sort of stuff concerns me what Claire was saying
3:09
I think, actually, I thought the law was the police can seize your phone
3:13
if they think you may delete stuff. I don't think it's actually just sexual
3:17
and I think, therefore, that leaves anyone open to anything, surely, because you could easily delete anything
3:21
if you're under suspicions of whatever. It's tracking trace as well. You know, it's going back to these digital ID cards
3:29
If we've all got... It's just such a horrible, dystopian... Margaret Atwood couldn't even write a book about it
3:37
It's awful. It really, really is. And I've got great fears for the future
3:42
not only of this country, but also of the world and our children that are in it
3:46
And we have to be mindful of how illegal migration is used as a brilliant excuse to push... Exactly
3:52
And you know the main point, sorry, Bev, it ain't going to work. These people are going to change the numbers
3:56
It's all done via Telegram, encrypted services. It's going to change... Which, again, raises the issue of what's it really about, then, in that case
#Law & Government
#news
#Politics