Jeremy Vine show slammed after asking if it’s ‘okay to deport Jamaican nationals who arrived in UK as children’

Jeremy Vine’s Channel 5 show has been the subject of major backlash after asking whether it’s okay to deport Jamaican nationals who came to the UK as children.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that a number of people were expected to be sent to Jamaica by the Home Office after committing crimes on UK soil, despite them growing up here.

Keen to hear what Jeremy Vine viewers made of the news, the programme’s official Twitter account asked: ‘Is it right to deport Jamaican nationals who came to the UK as children? A scheduled flight will leave the UK today returning dozens of people with criminal convictions.

‘But many of those on board have lived most of their lives in the UK. So is it right they get deported?’

The post was immediately met with anger, with many branding the post ‘offensive’ and ‘shameful’.

‘No, of course it isn’t. Who on earth would ever think it was, and why would you even ask this?’ blasted one.

Another added: ‘What you’re asking here is whether human rights abuses are fine. They aren’t, obviously.’

‘It’s offensive that this is even up for question by a major television show,’ a third slammed.

Wednesday’s episode of Jeremy Vine then saw the debate play out on air, with Matthew Stadlen taking a strong stance against the deportation of foreign criminals.

Jeremy Vine hosted a controversial debate on deporting criminals (Picture: Channel 5)

‘This is cruel and inhumane treatment of our effectively fellow citizen,’ he argued.

However, Angela Epstein begged to differ.

‘Do you not think it’s a priority of a government to protect its citizens?’ she hit back. ‘So if you have a rapist or a paedophile in your midst, who is not a British national, why should a British tax payer pick up the slack?’

She continued: ‘If you’re not a national, perhaps there’s a reason you haven’t been naturalised. Maybe there’s a reason you haven’t embraced your host country?’

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Not giving up the fight, Matthew fired back: ‘These people should be in prison for crimes committed in this country. I am no apologist for any of the crimes committed by the people who are on this flight. But they are our responsibility.’

Channel 5 declined to comment.

Jeremy Vine airs weekdays from 9.15am on ITV.

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