Reform UK MP Danny Kruger said at a public event in Somerset that most asylum seekers arriving in the UK on small boats are comparatively wealthy men who do not deserve state help. He argued that paying thousands of pounds to smugglers showed they were well off, and he defended earlier remarks by Reform figure Matt Goodwin about immigration; refugee charities rejected Kruger's claims as false and said many asylum seekers arrive with little money and can face destitution in the UK.
Why it matters: The remarks add to the UK political fight over Channel crossings, asylum policy and integration, especially as Reform UK seeks to shape the immigration debate. Supporters frame such arguments as a challenge to asylum abuse and cultural fragmentation, while critics say they stigmatize asylum seekers and minorities and inflame social tensions.
Helena Horton
2026.09.19
100% relevant
This article establishes a distinct story about specific public remarks by Danny Kruger linking Channel small-boat arrivals to wealth, deservingness and broader claims about immigrant integration in Britain.
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