Migrants who drowned in channel have themselves to blame, TalkTV host says

Watch: Radio host claims migrants that drowned in the channel were not “desperate”

TalkTV host Julia Hartley-Brewer has said migrants who drowned in the channel on Wednesday were not "desperate" and were themselves to blame for boarding the boats.

South East Coast Ambulance Service were called to the channel early on Wednesday morning following reports of an incident.

The government has since confirmed four people died after a small boat capsized. More than 40 people were rescued.

Rishi Sunak described it as a “tragic loss of human life”.

Responding to the events, Hartley-Brewer said on her radio show on Wednesday that the migrants attempting to reach the UK were not "desperate".

Read more: Labour MP Claims Sending Migrants To Holiday Parks Is Akin To 'Concentration Camps'

"People say these are desperate people," she said. "You're in France. I don't know how many times I'm going to have to say this... you're in France.

"You're not in war-torn Syria. You're not in Ukraine. You're not being bombed."

She added: "I first of all blame those people themselves for getting in those boats.

"When you see people you see children dying, and migrants putting their children into [that situation]... if you did that in this country, you'd be prosecuted for endangering your child's life.

"These people aren’t victims in that way."

Home secretary Suella Braverman described the incident as a "terrible tragedy".

“This is an ongoing search-and-rescue incident but I can confirm at the time of making this statement tragically there have been four fatalities," said Braverman.

“It would be inappropriate for me to go into further detail at this time.”

Hartley-Brewer is one of the most high-profile presenters on TalkTV, the new British TV channel launched in April 2022 and owned by News UK – which publishes The Times and The Sun.

A controversial figure, she has previously claimed climate change is "complete nonsense" and "lockdowns aren't based on science".

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “We are devastated to hear news of the incident in the channel today and heartbroken at the reports of fatalities.

“Our thoughts are with all those affected and we pay tribute to the rescue teams working on such a dreadful incident.

“Sadly, this is not the first time we are waking up to such devastating news of people having lost their lives on a harrowing journey to Britain in search of safety."

Read more: New migrant measures treat asylum seekers like criminals, campaigners say

The founder of refugee charity Care4Calais, Clare Moseley, said the government had “blood” on its hands – describing the deaths as "wholly unnecessary and preventable".

The deaths come the day after the prime minister pledged to get tougher on small boats crossing the channel after more than 40,000 people crossed in 2022.

“I said enough is enough, and I mean it," said Sunak in parliament on Tuesday. "And that means I am prepared to do what must be done.

"So early next year we will introduce new legislation to make unambiguously clear that if you enter the UK illegally, you should not be able to remain here."

Watch: Home Secretary Suella Braverman says English Channel deaths show crossing is 'lethally dangerous endeavour'