A former chairman of the Conservative Party has said he does not believe the UK should be taking in migrants who arrive from France.

Speaking to GB News Sir Jake Berry said: “My view is there’s no such thing as an asylum seeker from France.

“They are not fleeing persecution in France. My view is that none of them should be coming, and we should send them all back to France.

“That’s my base position. But actually, these figures are extraordinary. You think about it, you walk down your street and you see a hundred people: one of them is going to be in this country legally. It’s just mind blowing.

“But these figures are actually much worse than that, because they don’t include anyone who’s crossed illegally into the country, because when they arrive here, they immediately claim asylum.

“It doesn’t include the asylum backlog. So it will be much worse. It’s probably nearer one in 80 or one in 90, and it’s absolutely extraordinary.

“And just think back, and the Conservative Party needs to hold its hands up as well here, because they’ve been in government before Keir Starmer: No one voted for this, and that’s why the British people are so angry.

“They look at it, they say, My country is changing beyond all recognition. I never gave you any permission to do this on my behalf, on behalf of my community. And they’re really, really angry. And those figures show that they’re right to be angry.”