viewers branded minister John Healey's claims "gaslighting" as they passionately disagreed with his claims that the current government was "bringing down the backlog of asylum claims". He was invited to speak on the channel this morning (May 8) after reports that costs of housing asylum seekers are set to rise to triple the amount originally anticipated.

Stephen and Ellie looked dismayed and unconvinced as he claimed the situation was improving. "The peak of asylum hotels reached 400 under the last Conservative government and it cost us not £4 million a day but £9 million a day," Healey insisted. "We're closing hotels - it's down to just over 200 now [but] we've got to go further." He continued that Labour was trying to get "strong legislation through parliament to give our police the powers to smash smuggling gangs". "It also means continuing to do what we're doing, which is bringing down the backlog of asylum claims which the last government all but gave up in processing and doing more to deport those that haven't got a right to be here," Healey added.

"Since the last election, we've deported 24,000 people who haven't got the right to be here - some steps forward but a hell of a lot more to do."

However, his claims of improvements were dismissed instantly by the majority of GB News viewers on X this morning, with one witheringly writing: "Gaslighting at its best."

"It's still £8.3 million per day that we could be spending on public services. Trying to defend the indefensible is shameful," exclaimed another.

A third questioned what the impact of closing asylum hotels would really be and who would be hit hardest by it, asking: "Where do the men go!? Deported or in a home which will still be paid by the tax payer !?"

Someone else agreed, suggesting that illegal immigrants would simply be "transferred into private rentals".

One viewer exclaimed: "Imagine having a job where your boss forces you to go on national television and lie to the public. These people have lost their souls!"

The backlash came just moments after , who caused outrage on the show by defending the figure of £4 million per day expenditure on the hotels.

Alex had referenced the grooming gang scandal, quizzing: "Why are we spending it on those things when we are telling victims of rape gangs that they can't have any compensation?"