‘You’re lying!’ GB News migrant row explodes in furious on-air clash

GB News Studio Erupts as Matthew Goodwin and Andy Twelves Clash Over Migrant Crime Data

A furious GB News debate descended into a war of words as Matthew Goodwin and Andy Twelves clashed over the Government’s handling of migrant crime data.

Goodwin accused Labour of using problems with police recording systems as an excuse for not publishing national figures, while Twelves insisted the information could not simply be released because forces do not collect it in a standardised way.

The exchange quickly became personal, with both men talking over one another as Twelves repeatedly accused Goodwin of misleading viewers and pursuing a viral television clip.

Goodwin argued that ministers could not criticise misinformation while withholding information that could help the public understand the impact of migration.

“It’s an excuse,” he said. “Left-wing politicians and Labour pundits lecture the British people about misinformation and then they won’t give people the information about what is going on in this country.”

Goodwin accuses Labour of avoiding scrutiny

Goodwin claimed the public deserved greater transparency about any connection between migration and crime.

“You cannot impose a policy of broken borders and illegal migration and not tell people how it is affecting their own country,” he said.

He then pointed to reports involving attacks against women and girls, arguing that the problem was more extensive than the public had previously been told.

Goodwin also called for a standardised national system that would allow police forces to record and publish comparable data.

He suggested that Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham should take responsibility for what Goodwin described as failures surrounding grooming gang inquiries and ensure that a new collection system was introduced by the end of the month or year.

However, he immediately expressed doubt that Burnham or the Labour Government would act.

Goodwin alleged that Labour would avoid the issue because it relies upon migrant communities for electoral support. That was his political accusation and was not established as fact during the programme.

He went on to claim that the parliamentary Labour Party was disconnected from ordinary voters and unwilling to confront concerns involving vulnerable girls.

Andy Twelves brands argument ‘nonsense’

Twelves responded angrily, accusing Goodwin of exaggerating the issue to create a dramatic clip for social media.

He argued that the absence of national figures did not prove the Government was deliberately concealing information.

“Standardising data collection across the police force is not something that can be done instantly,” Twelves said.

He explained that different police forces currently record information in different ways, making direct national comparisons difficult.

“I know it doesn’t work for your clip and you can compare to Denmark and these other police systems, but that’s not the way the police collect data in this country,” he added.

Twelves then questioned Goodwin’s own record while discussing misinformation.

“I think it’s ironic you do talk about misinformation given your own credibility issues, but the Government aren’t lying about the data,” he said.

Goodwin immediately rejected the criticism, declaring: “I think I’m the only person telling the British people the truth about what is going on in this country.”

The disagreement became even more heated when Twelves alleged that Goodwin had included false claims in his book. Goodwin denied the accusation, while Twelves insisted that he had previously been “caught out”.

No specific passages from the book were examined during the exchange.

Goodwin returned to his central argument, claiming that the public was beginning to understand the consequences of decisions made by politicians.

He challenged Twelves to acknowledge what he described as Labour’s long-term failure of British women and girls. Twelves responded by again accusing him of misrepresenting how crime statistics are collected.

Towards the end of the row, Goodwin referenced a controversial pamphlet offering behavioural guidance to asylum seekers and migrants.

He alleged that its publication showed authorities possessed information they were refusing to release. The programme did not establish evidence supporting that conclusion.

The debate ended without agreement, leaving the two commentators divided over whether the absence of national figures represents deliberate political avoidance or the practical result of inconsistent police data systems.