Zia Yusuf has vowed to force hundreds of vape shops out of business to prevent the “decay” of the British high street. Reform’s home affairs spokesman promised to introduce a “national licensing” regime for the stores, as fears intensify that many are a front for organised crime gangs.
This would be capped at 1,000 premises, with a joint unit made up of police officers, immigration enforcement teams and trading standards, authorised to enter suspected ‘dodgy shops’.
Reform's plan to tackle illegal working
It comes after Reform announced it will fine firms 10% of their global revenues and make chief executives personally and criminally liable for illegal working under a so-called “Deliveroo Law”.
And a probe by the BBC revealed more than 1,900 mini marts, vape shops and car washes are licensed to sponsor foreign workers under a specialist scheme intended for high-earning individuals despite visa rules being tightened.
Mr Yusuf declared: “The decay of Britain is equally visible on our high streets.
“Yet, as legitimate businesses close, we are witnessing an artificial boom in cash-intensive operations. The number of nail bars has surged by 91% since 2010.
“The number of foreign barber shops has doubled – trebled in places like Essex and Doncaster.
“Nobody believes these survive alone on legitimate commercial demand. In fact, the National Crime Agency has estimated £1bn in criminal cash is laundered through high street front businesses every year.
“Firstly, we will introduce national licensing for vape shops. These licences will be capped at 1,000 premises allocated to local authorities.
“This measure will instantly reduce the number of vape shops by 70%, ensuring they no longer dominate our shopping parades. Any unlicensed shop will be immediately closed.”
As many as half of convenience stores and vape retailers in some areas are estimated to have links with organised crime, according to a Trading Standards report from earlier this year.
Other measures announced
Mr Yusuf’s other announcements include making it illegal to use a vehicle for business purposes without holding a full British licence.
The measure would exclude lorry drivers delivering to the UK from other countries, he said. He also said a Reform government would create a “tip line” for people to report illegal working or gang activity on their high street, with the potential for a cash reward.
Speaking at a news conference to unveil the policy, Mr Yusuf said Reform would make it a legal duty for local authorities to investigate every "credible report" they receive.
He said a reward scheme would emulate a system in the United States that rewards whistleblowers with a share of fines imposed after successful prosecutions of serious financial crime.
In America, once the recovered amount passes $1,000,000 tipsters are entitled to between 10% and 30% of the proceeds.
In May 2023, a whistleblower was paid $279 million in a secret case.
The senior Reform spokesman told the Daily Express: “We looked at regimes like what the SEC does in America.
“They have created a regime which is a very strong incentive and essentially is an uncapped commission program in America if you tip them off to a serious financial crime where they are able to generate significant fines from that as a result of criminal conduct.
“In terms of the exact percentage that will be in the final legislation that we pass."
Tough penalties for illegal working
Under Reform’s plan, companies will be fined 10% of their global revenues if they hire illegal migrants.
Bosses will be thrown in jail, under a new “Deliveroo Law”, amid growing concern over Channel migrants working in Britain’s booming black economy.
They will be held “criminally liable” even if they did not know their employees did not have the right to work in the UK.
Fines of 10% would soar into the millions for some of the biggest food delivery firms. For example, Just Eat’s global revenue for the first half of 2025 was £1.51bn.
This means they would be fined £150m, under Zia Yusuf’s plans.
Nigel Farage’s home affairs spokesman added: “The Tories and Labour have made Britain the softest-touch country in the world for illegal migrants to undercut British workers.
“Under a Reform government, Britain will have the harshest penalties in the world for those employing illegal migrants.
“Bosses of companies employing illegal migrants will be sent to prison, and their companies fined 10% of their global revenues.
“We will introduce the toughest penalties anywhere in the world for illegal working.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Illegal working undermines honest business, exploits vulnerable individuals and fuels organised immigration crime.
“We are already closing the loopholes that allow illegal migrants to work in the UK by extending right to work checks to the gig economy and delivery sector.
“Employers who break the law face severe consequences, including fines of up to £60,000 per illegal worker, business closures, licence revocations and prison sentences of up to five years.”
