TalkTV presenter Alex Phillips lost her temper as she lashed out at Defence Secretary Wes Streeting. Her fury came following the news that five men had been arrested over a suspected bomb plot at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Residents who live in the nearby village of Whelford were evacuated while terror police investigated, with 85 people not being allowed to return to their homes tonight.
Phillips hits out at Streeting's inefficiency
Phillips hit out at Streeting's inefficiency after it was revealed that the plot was foiled when a farmer spotted the men wearing balaclavas in a white van at the airbase and alerted the police, rather than counter-terrorism intelligence.
She raged: "You're the defence minister. You are the defence minister, son. What are you doing about the small boat crossings, the terror cells, Islamism, the threat from Russia? Why is Israel sanctioned when they provide a lot of our intelligence reports for us?
"Why does the government seem to ignore warnings from agencies and former big beasts in intelligence who connect immigration with the security threat? Because I would take a little guess here, Wes.
Phillips questions the government's approach
"Let me teach you a thing or two, in case you don't get it yet. I would imagine that whatever has gone down near Fairford, the people who did it probably came into the country from elsewhere and came there specifically to do whatever they were planning to do. So perhaps, let me make it clear, you should join a dot, right?
"Between Iran saying, oh, we shipped in various terrorists from the IRGC to your country via a boat over the channel.
"They told you it came out of their mouths. And yet you're still there going, oh, yeah, aren't they nice? They're just asylum seekers. Give them a hotel. Let them stay on a military base. And don't worry about that perimeter fence. We'll open it wider."
Prime Minister issues statement
Prime Minister Andy Burnham issued a statement, confirming that he is receiving updates on the situation, which is "deeply concerning for local residents". In a statement, he urged the public not to speculate as the investigation continued.
