The crowd at BBC Question Time applauded as Nadine Dorries faced scrutiny over immigration issues in a recent episode. Dorries, a former Conservative who switched to Reform last year, defended businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s controversial statements about the UK being “colonised by immigrants.” Although acknowledging Ratcliffe’s inaccuracies in his migrant population figures, Dorries continued to support his stance on immigration being “out of control.”
During the discussion, Dorries interrupted Green Party MP Ellie Chowns, who criticized the narrative pushed by political groups like Reform, Brexit Party, and UKIP, claiming that immigration is not the root issue in the country but rather inequality, housing, and public service underinvestment.
Chowns’ remarks received applause from the Bristol audience, with one member questioning whether the UK was truly “colonised by immigrants.” Despite the backlash, Dorries maintained that Ratcliffe’s message on immigration was valid, acknowledging his statistical errors while emphasizing the strain on public services due to population growth.
Chowns highlighted the discrepancy in Ratcliffe’s timeline regarding the population increase, clarified later by Question Time host Fiona Bruce. Despite Ratcliffe’s subsequent apology, Manchester United distanced itself from him, reaffirming its commitment to diversity and inclusion.
In a recent match against West Ham United, eight non-British players started for Manchester United, with only two British players among the substitutes, underscoring the team’s international composition.
