BBC Breakfast's 'worst migrant segment yet' has furious fans switching off

BBC Breakfast was accused of airing its "worst immigration segment yet" as new Green Party leader Zack Polanski appeared via videolink to be grilled by presenter Jon Kay. Asked his views on the migrant crisis enveloping the UK, Polanski insisted putting a limit on the number of migrants allowed in would be "dehumanising".

Polanski said: "We need to have an honest conversation in this country, that this country needs migrants. We have 150,000 vacancies in the National Health Service. We have an ageing population. Now of course we should be training British workers and must train British workers, for our care industries, for construction industries, and all sorts of other jobs. But the truth - and only the Green Party is willing to tell this truth right now - is actually migration is good for this country. Migrants are paying more into our tax system than they're taking out in benefits or social security."

Jon Kay interjected to ask: "So no limit on migration?" and the Green leader said: "Well I think even that question about numbers is dehumanising.

"We're talking about human beings here, and actually the only reason you would make a limit is because you would say there are not enough council homes and our NHS is crumbling. I agree with those things. The answer there is not to blame the migrants, the answer there is to stop austerity, build the council homes, invest in the NHS."

Furious viewers were left "switching off" over the segment, with one ranting on X: "Worst segment on this yet... I agree with some of his points but the dehumanising comment is insane, of course there needs to be a limit, we're a tiny island."

Another viewer wrote: "How many [migrants has] Zak got living in his home? In fact now he's been made leader he could start donating all his wages to go towards the cost of their living in the UK. In fact entire Green Party & their members filled all their homes with illegal migrants & funded them all be a great help."

Someone else said: "Dear oh dear, he hasn't got a clue, a Green Party vote is another wasted vote."

But Polanski argued: "The Green Party is saying the problem is not the small boats, the problem is the private jets and the private yachts. Let's make sure people in this country who are earning or have masses of wealth are actually redistributing a tiny bit of that wealth."