Reform UK‘s Laila Cunningham went toe to toe with ex-RMT boss Mick Lynch on Monday’s episode of Newsnight.

Appearing on the BBC‘s political programme, the London Mayoral candidate got into a tense clash with Lynch after he accused her of “isolating people” and “taking advantage of poverty” in a particularly scathing remark.

Brought onto the show for a discussion about immigration and welfare in the UK, Cunningham asked: “Do you believe in the fundamental principle that social housing and benefits should be for the British people? Do you believe that?”

“The British people includes people that live here that come from abroad,” Lynch argued in response.

“Well they’re not British,” Cunningham returned, adding: “If they are not British nationals, they are not British.” Asking Lynch if he believed that trade union workers should be paying for people who have just arrived in the UK to live in social housing, the former RMT leader said: “What we believe in is that we pay for each other through a fair tax system where wealth is distributed properly so that all people can advance.

“You believe in isolating people,” Lynch continued, “and taking advantage of poverty so that you can divide them and make your friends even richer.”

Shutting down Lynch’s comments, Cunningham sighed loudly. “Fundamentally, I don’t even understand what you said,” she replied. “We fundamentally believe in one principle that – perhaps this is why you’re losing votes – is that when people elect you, they are there to serve the British people and no one else.”

Cunningham, who regularly appears on Newsnight, is no stranger to on-air disputes. Just last week, the politician found herself in an explosive row with retired police superintendent Leroy Logan. The duo, who joined Matt Chorley to discuss the Henry Nowak protests in Southampton, clashed over Reform leader Nigel Farage‘s comments about Nowak’s tragic murder in December.

“We are sitting here discussing an anger that Nigel named, and somehow it is illegitimate to name that, to name people’s concerns and I’m being told that that’s what caused incitement. Did you watch the video?” Cunningham said.

“My issue is, you are conflating two issues,” Logan fired back. “No I’m not,” Cunningham declared, prompting Chorley to intervene.