Government, Opposition Face Off in Birmingham Immigration Debate

Sky News will host a live televised debate on September 10 in Birmingham to address the pressing issue of immigration in the UK, featuring representatives from the Government, the Conservative Party, the Liberal Democrats, and Reform UK. The one-hour programme, hosted by Trevor Phillips, will include individual interviews followed by a panel discussion in front of a live audience, with expert analysis from Sky News editors to provide a balanced perspective. This event comes amid a summer marked by public protests against asylum hotels and a record number of migrants—29,003 by August 30—crossing the English Channel in 2025, a 36% increase from the previous year. The UK Government's recent policies discussed include suspending the family reunion route for refugees, cracking down on international students claiming asylum, plans to return migrants to France under a deal with Emmanuel Macron, introducing digital ID cards to prevent illegal work, and relocating migrants from hotels to old industrial sites. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has pledged to deport up to 600,000 asylum seekers if elected in 2029, a proposal criticized as unworkable by opponents. The debate aims to provide a comprehensive view of the political, economic, and social dimensions of immigration, addressing widespread public concern and political contention.