Former Coronation Street star Matthew Marsden sparked backlash during a heated live debate on GB News, launching into a scathing rant about Britain's mass immigration crisis. Speaking to presenter Will Kingston, Marsden argued that those living on council estates bear the heaviest burden, describing the situation as "deeply upsetting."
Working-class communities 'most affected'
Marsden, who played garage mechanic Chris Collins on the soap in the late 1990s, said: "It's really heartbreaking for me. I come from a council estate, a working-class council estate, and the people that are the most affected by mass immigration, by this infringement on our rights, are working-class people on council estates."
The actor, who has lived in the United States for several years, claimed the issue cuts across both British and American politics. He added that ordinary working people are positioned as those who suffer most from policies enacted by distant political elites.
Tories accused of 'betrayal'
Marsden took a swipe at the Conservative Party, arguing that while both major political parties had failed the country, the Tories' betrayal ran deeper. He fumed: "The Tories just as much as the Labour. In fact, it's more of a betrayal with the Tories because you expect them to preserve the United Kingdom."
He also rejected the notion that immigration is the foundation of national greatness in both Britain and America. "Great Britain isn't great because of immigration in the same way that the United States isn't great because of immigration. Great Britain is great because of the people in Great Britain, the British people."
Birmingham 'unrecognisable'
Marsden recalled a recent trip to Birmingham, near where he was raised, and confessed that it was completely transformed since he was last there. He told viewers: "It was unrecognisable. The change was so dramatic."
Although he acknowledged that some viewers may accuse him of racism for pointing out that he "hardly saw a white person," he stood firm on his opinion that it's simply due to the influx of migrants. He explained: "It's not about that. It's about the demographic change in such a short period of time without any assimilation, and that is a recipe for disaster, whether people want to admit it or not."
Viewers react on social media
It didn't take long for viewers to flock to social media to share their frustrations online. One user penned: "How refreshing, hearing an actor talk a lot of sense and truth. Well done, Matthew." Another pointed out: "It's not people on council estates suffering the most, it is those desperate to BE ON said council estates, stuck in bedsits, sofa surfing or in hideously expensive private rentals. But he makes some great points."
