Question Time migrants who ‘ambushed’ Reform ‘were coached by activists at the request of the BBC’

Small boat migrants who ‘ambushed’ a Reform representative during an episode of Question Time were allegedly coached by activists at the BBC’s request, it was claimed yesterday.

Pro-immigration charity Imix was commissioned by the broadcaster to find immigrants living in Britain to take part in the Immigration Special debate in Dover in December.

The men, one from Afghanistan and the other from Iran, challenged Reform’s Zia Yusuf over his party’s approach to immigration.

While Iranian Alireza was reading the prepared statement, Ashraf explained that he came to England because his country was not safe.

Also in the audience was the charity’s chief executive Jenni Regan, who was chosen to ask a question and then warn against reducing immigration levels.

Their presence led to allegations of immigration bias at the BBC.

After the program, Yusuf, Reform’s home affairs spokesman, accused the BBC of ‘setting an ambush’, while more than 1,000 viewers complained about the broadcast.

A Reform spokesman said: ‘It is no surprise that the Question Time Immigration Special has sparked so many complaints. ‘The program represented a clear failure in terms of the BBC’s impartiality, editorial judgment and audience choice.’

It was claimed in an episode of Question Time that the small boat migrants who ‘ambushed’ a Reform representative were employed by activists at the request of the BBC. Picture: Eşref announced that he came to England because his country was not safe

They added: ‘We are seeing an increasingly blatant pattern of bias and prejudice from the taxpayer-funded broadcaster.

‘The question remains why the BBC saw fit to provide men who entered Britain illegally with a national platform that allowed them to lecture the British public and manipulate opinion on the immigration crisis.’

But the BBC last night defended its decision to include immigrants and the charity boss in the audience.

A spokesman said: ‘It is common practice in the media industry to engage with charities, among others, for research purposes and to help understand different perspectives.

‘But the BBC has strict rules to ensure impartiality and editorial independence.’

Imix, who describes himself as ‘telling the human side of the migration story’, said the two men had successfully sought asylum since arriving in Britain and were now living here with their families.

The charity acknowledged they had helped the men prepare for the show but insisted they spoke of their own free will, adding: ‘We helped identify two people who wanted to take part and gave them support in advance so they felt informed and prepared.

‘We don’t tell anyone what to say or what views to have… Decisions about the program and its audience were the BBC’s.’

Nearly 10,000 migrants have crossed the Channel this year, 710 of whom arrived on Monday alone.