Rylan Clark's This Morning's rant sparks Ofcom storm over migrant speech

This Morning has been hit with hundreds of Ofcom complaints following Rylan Clark's speech about immigration and migrants.Last week, the host was standing in for regular presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard.

During a news segment, Rylan said how migrants saved his mother's life. In a lengthy - and now infamous - speech, he said: "This country is built on immigration. Legal immigration — a lot of the nurses, the doctors that have saved my mum’s life have come over here from other countries. They’re living a great life, they’re paying into this tax system, they’re helping this country thrive.

"I find it absolutely insane that all these people are risking their lives coming across the Channel. And when they get here, it does seem, and I think this is why a lot of Labour voters as well are saying there’s something wrong, it feels like, ‘Welcome, come on in’. That’s the narrative we’re being fed. Here’s the iPad. Here’s the NHS in reception of your hotel. Here’s three meals a day. Here’s a games room in the hotel. Have a lovely time and welcome."

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He said that everyone would have an opinion about this and he was "going to upset someone" with his views. He explained: "There are people that have lived here all their lives that are struggling. They’re homeless. Let’s not even discuss our homeless. There are people living on the streets, veterans, all of this.

"Let me be honest, everyone’s going to have an opinion about this and you’re going to upset someone. Something major needs to be done about this. The money that it’s costing us, the amount of people that are in this country that we have no idea who they are, what they’ve done, what they’re capable of – and clearly we see a lot of it in the press at the moment. Not all, but some, what some are doing to people in this country."

To conclude his comments, he then said that if he arrived at Heathrow Airport as a British citizen and Ieft his passport in Spain, he wouldn't be let in, before adding: "If I arrive on a boat from Calais, I get taken to a four-star hotel?"

The Mirror later fact-checked the comments Rylan made on the show. On his point about those who come to the country on small boats being given iPads and phones, The Mirror can confirm that The Home Office does not provide mobile phones and iPads to new arrivals because these are not considered a basic need. But sometimes charities and churches may do so, along with basic items like clothes and food - which are not funded by taxpayers. Asylum seekers are entitled to free NHS care whilst claims are being processed.

On his claim that small boat arrivals "get taken to a four-star hotel", The Mirror can confirm some four-star hotels - such as the Britannia International in Canary Wharf - have been used for asylum seekers. But the Home Office says despite previous ratings, these hotels provide only basic needs once their use changes.

It has previously stated: "If a hotel is used to house asylum seekers, the services and facilities it previously offered will therefore change, and its commercial star rating will cease to apply. As such, those ratings are not routinely recorded by the Home Office."

Rylan also claimed that there is a narrative that people are told "here's three meals a day, here's a games room in the hotel. Have a lovely time and welcome." The Mirror can confirm The Home Office has a legal duty to provide basic support to destitute asylum seekers while their claims are processed. They are legally banned from working, and so cannot earn money.

They receive a very small allowance. If their meals are provided they receive £9.95 a week per person, and if they are in self-catered accommodation their allowance is £49.18.

It was revealed on Wednesday that Ofcom received 576 complaints for the August 27th episode of This Morning.

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