A bitter row erupted between shadow home secretary Chris Philp and Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf as the pair joined villagers protesting against plans to convert a nearby military site into asylum accommodation.

The two men were invited to speak at a joint news conference in Piddington, Oxfordshire, which had been aimed at highlighting local opposition to the proposed use of MoD Bicester to house migrants.

But the event descended into a shouting match after Reform UK’s home affairs spokesman demanded Mr Philp apologise for the Conservatives’ record on immigration.

The shadow home secretary accused Mr Yusuf of being “disingenuous” and told him told him to “calm down”, adding: “The public here want you to pipe down on the cheap politics.”

“We would not be in this mess if you had used your majority to secure our borders,” Mr Yusuf told Mr Philp.

The shadow home secretary said: “Buddy, you’re in a hole, stop digging,” adding that the Tories would shut the site “straight away” if it went ahead under Labour.

The conference had been organised by Piddington Parish Council chairman Tim McNally after Housing Secretary Angela Rayner approved full planning permission for the site, which could accommodate more than 1,200 detained asylum seekers, despite a significant local backlash.

Ministers want to use former military bases as part of efforts close all asylum hotels, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said it should not just be the poorest communities receiving dispersed refugees.

Politicians from both Reform UK and the Conservatives have visited Piddington in recent months to show their support to campaigners.

The clash between two senior figures comes as both parties seek to sharpen their political battle lines against each other, with Kemi Badenoch recently ruling out an electoral pact to avoid splitting the right-wing vote.

She has said Reform UK would take the country “backwards” while Nigel Farage has pitched his party as a new alternative to the Tories, who he says betrayed Britain on immigration while in office.

Responding to the row later on Friday, Tory leader Mrs Badenoch said: “The real shadow home secretary won that exchange and the applause. The fake one went along to score cheap points but made an arse of himself instead.”

Mr Farage said Mr Philp “has a lot to apologise for”.