Yvette Cooper left stuttering on BBC Breakfast over simple migrant question

Labour's Home Secretary Yvette Cooper struggled to answer a simple question as she was quizzed about the migrant crisis on BBC Breakfast. Presenter Jon Kay welcomed the Labour politician as he skewered her while asking about how many migrants who cross the Channel in small boats will be returned to France under the 'one in one out' deal agreed earlier this year.

However, the Labour Minister was left stuttering as she desperately tried to skirt her way around his questions. Jon said to her: "I think our viewers would really like to know, by the end of this month, when you have said you will start sending people back to France, what kind of numbers are we talking about, say by the end of September? What is your hope?" Already trying to tiptoe around the straightforward question, Cooper explained that it is just the "first phase" of the plan, before Jon interrupted to say: "Yeah, ok, but how many?"

She then replied turning the focus onto the previous Conservative government and their Rwanda scheme as she pointed out that it ran for two years and only four people were ever returned, who were actually "volunteers".

But Jon soon poked holes in her reply as he shot back: "But nobody has been sent to France yet under your scheme." Cooper argued back saying: "Yeah, but this what we are doing is in a very different way."

She went on to add that they will be providing updates as and when they happen, before saying: "But we are being very clear and honest with people. It is a pilot scheme. It needs to build step by step, but that is how you deliver results.

"We start and we build something and we make things work step by step. That's how you get results in the end, not by making grand sweeping promises that actually are never delivered and you end up undermining trust."

Jon then told her that lots of viewers get in touch every day and tell the BBC show that they "want to see more" from the Labour government on tackling the migrant crisis. He added: "They want you to be radical, they want results right now. Do you understand their frustration?"

In response, she stuttered as she struggled to plan what she was going to say next. Eventually she said: "This is one of the biggest problems that we face. That's why we have made this a priority."

Cooper went on to point out that there has been a number of people sent back, to which Jon replied with a point that instantly stumped her. "Yes but we are also looking at record numbers of people coming over here in the first place, aren't we? There's been 50,000 on your watch already."