Migrant housing row ERUPTS between Labour and Reform UK as firebrand MPs engage in bitter war of words

A pair of Reform UK and Labour’s most outspoken MPs have locked horns over migrant housing in a bitter online row.

Labour’s Clive Lewis and Reform’s Rupert Lowe exchanged a series of verbal blows throughout Wednesday – with the duo hurling terms including “far-right” and “hypocrite” in the other’s direction.

The row was sparked when Lewis shared a video of himself ahead of an event on Sunday in which he said he’d “join many others who say refugees and migrants are welcome in Norwich and to oppose a far-right anti-migrant demo”.

Lowe then chimed in, declaring: “I’ve asked the Home Office to establish a scheme through which MPs supportive of illegal migrants can house one in their own home.

“You say migrants are ‘welcome’ – we wouldn’t want anyone to think you’re a hypocrite. I assume you will be participating?”

Lewis later hit back, saying: “You’re doing what you do best – kicking down on society’s most vulnerable.

“You’re not fighting for principle – you’re fighting for money and political power… I’ve asked the Treasury to establish a wealth tax for multi-millionaires like you. Dig deep ol’ fruit!”

“So that’s a no to housing an illegal migrant in your own home then, I assume?” Lowe replied.

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It comes exactly a week after Lowe laid down his challenge to MPs to house so-called “irregular migrants” in their homes.

Writing on social media after PMQs on November 27, the Great Yarmouth MP said: “I have asked the Home Office to establish an official scheme through which MPs can house an ‘irregular’ migrant in their own home.

“Numerous MPs tell us that illegal migrants are welcome in our communities. Let’s see how many will take one of these young men into their own home.”

One social media user replied: “I’ve got zero in the sweepstake,” to which Lowe himself jabbed: “Already taken!”

Latest Home Office data puts the number of “irregular arrivals” to Britain in the tens of thousands – even though the number has dropped since last year.

There were 36,949 irregular arrivals detected in the year ending September 2024 – 18 per cent fewer than the previous year, the department says.

Of that figure, some 81 per cent arrived on small boats – 29,851 as of September.