Kay Burley shared a fiery exchange with a GB News presenter who criticised her social media posts on small boats immigration.
The former Sky News presenter, who retired from the network in 2025 after 36 years, uses her page on X to react to the day’s biggest news stories.
On Monday Burley, 65, commented on small boats coming to England from across the Channel, while responding to news that people smugglers had crammed more than 200 people onto a boat from France to the UK.
In a post on the platform, Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf wrote: “That’s not a ‘small boat’. It’s an invasion.”
I’ve seen longer queues in the ‘five items or fewer’ isle.
— Kay Burley (@KayBurley) August 10, 2026
Stop it, just stop it! https://t.co/FJSz9MJsen
In response, Burley commented: “I’ve seen longer queues in the ‘five items or fewer’ [aisle]. Stop it, just stop it!”
The comment caught the eye of GB News’ Ben Leo, who claimed that Burley’s comment reflected a desire to ignore the small boats by the mainstream media that GB News was responding to.
“Just stop it guys. Stop noticing! Look away. Stop overreacting,” he wrote on X.
“Is it any wonder the country’s in the state it’s in when the media was led by this kind of mindset. Not anymore. Thank goodness for GB News.”
I had to look you up, Ben. Bless your cotton socks https://t.co/EF1exfs8U8
— Kay Burley (@KayBurley) August 10, 2026
In response, Burley shot back: “I had to look you up, Ben. Bless your cotton socks,” to which Leo replied: “Don’t worry, I don’t seek notoriety. I’m just satisfied nobody listens to you anymore.”
Set up in 2020, news channel GB News hosts programmes from right-wing politicians and commentators such as Nigel Farage and Jacob Rees-Mogg.
