GB News invited Reform UK MP Lee Anderson back onto the show for a furious clash.
Lee Anderson was left fuming (Image: GB News)
GB News aired a furious migrant clash between Reform UK MP Lee Anderson and left-wing supporter Benjamin Butterworth over the small boat crisis. During last night’s segment (August 7), Anderson snapped: “I know we ask it time and time again on this show – will this government or any government stop the small boat crisis?”
Butterworth responded: “Well yes. I think if you look at what’s happened in the last two and a bit years, things have improved enormously, far more than people might have imagined. In the first half of this year, the number of small boat crossings was almost half the first six months of last year,” but was cut off by Anderson, who asked: “But what about the year before, Benjamin?”
He replied: “Well the year before they’re inheriting it from the previous government, so it’s understandable that it took a little time to turn around. But the fact is that more than two years in, almost halving the numbers coming across the Channel is massive progress.
“In fact the numbers are better than that, because of all the attempted lift-offs from the French side, 60% are stopped, so this means that the plan is clearly working.
“Obviously anyone coming over in a small boat is not good for the people in the small boat or for Britain, but to have halved the numbers is a success. Even you are going to have to admit-“
Benjamin Butterworth sparked a row (Image: GB News)
He was cut off again by Anderson, who said sarcastically: “What do you mean, even me? Don’t sneer down your nose at me, Benjamin Butterworth.”
Grinning, Butterworth said: “Well don’t sneer at those good French police doing their work!”
But Emma Webb chimed in: “You saw that video of Chris Philp challenging them and the police were standing there while these guys were getting on the dinghy, and he challenged them and they just shrugged. ‘We’ve been given orders not to do anything about it’.
“I’m glad to hear that Benjamin has finally come round to the idea that these people are not good for Britain.”
State pension age latest as petition to get payments from 60 reaches major milestone
A petition has reached an important milestone as its deadline arrives today.
Your state pension age is the earliest age you can start receiving your State Pension (Image: Getty)
A petition calling for the state pension to be paid to everyone from the age of 60 has reached a significant milestone. The petition is calling for a fundamental change to the current pension system, arguing that people should receive the state pension from their 60th birthday. It opened on February 10, 2026, and closes today, Monday, August 10. The petition, created by Denver Johnson, also calls for the payment to be linked to the National Living Wage.
Under the proposal, the state pension would be equivalent to 48 hours of work at the National Living Wage. The campaign calculates this at £610.08 a week, or around £31,724 a year. The petition says the payment should be available to all people aged 60, including those living overseas. The petition has now attracted 6,171 signatures at the time of writing.
The UK State Pension age is gradually increasing from 66 to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028 (Image: Getty)
The official Parliament petition page states that 10,000 signatures are required before the Government is obliged to respond. A petition reaching 100,000 signatures can be considered for debate in Parliament.
The petition states: “We want the Government to make the state pension available from age 60 and increase it to equal 48 hours a week at the National Living Wage. Hence from April 2026 a Universal State Pension should be £610.08 per week or about £31,724.16 per year as a right to all including expatriates, age 60 and above.
“We think that Government policy seems intent on the State Pension being a benefit not paid to all, while ever increasing the age of entitlement.
“We want reforms to the State Pension, so that it is available to all including expatriates, from age 60, and linked to the National Living Wage, for security.”
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed the state pension age is rising for people born in two years. The state pension age has now started to rise from 66 in April 2026 and will reach 67 in April 2028.
The age at which people can claim their State Pension, however, depends on their date of birth.
The increase affects people born on April 6, 1960, onwards. For those born between April 6, 1960 and March 5, 1961, the State Pension age rises in monthly steps. This means some people will reach State Pension age at 66 years and one month, while some other individuals will have to wait until they are 66 years and 11 months. People born from March 6, 1961, onwards are currently due to reach State Pension age at 67.
The Government said about the increase in State Pension age: “The Pensions Act 2014 brought the increase in the State Pension age from 66 to 67 forward by eight years. The State Pension age for men and women will now increase to 67 between 2026 and 2028.
“The Government also changed the way in which the increase in State Pension age is phased so that rather than reaching State Pension age on a specific date, people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 will reach their State Pension age at 66 years and the specified number of months.”
The State Pension age timetable according to the Pensions Act 2014
- April 6, 1960 – May 5, 1960 – 66 years and 1 month
- May 6, 1960 – June 5, 1960 – 66 years and 2 months
- June 6, 1960 – July 5, 1960 – 66 years and 3 months
- July 6, 1960 – August 5, 1960 – 66 years and 4 months
- August 6, 1960 – September 5, 1960 – 66 years and 5 months
- September 6, 1960 – October 5, 1960 – 66 years and 6 months
- October 6, 1960 – November 5, 1960 – 66 years and 7 months
- November 6, 1960 – December 5, 1960 – 66 years and 8 months
- December 6, 1960 – January 5, 1961 – 66 years and 9 months
- January 6, 1961 – February 5, 1961 – 66 years and 10 months
- February 6, 1961 – March 5, 1961 – 66 years and 11 months
- March 6, 1961 – April 5, 1977