Nigel Farage has thrown down the gauntlet on immigration, declaring that a Reform UK government would swiftly implement a hardline Rwanda-style deportation scheme for asylum seekers. The party leader positioned the controversial policy as a central pillar of his election campaign, directly challenging the Conservative Party's own stalled efforts.
In a bold statement, Farage asserted that the UK must be prepared to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to effectively tackle illegal immigration. This move would circumvent legal challenges that have repeatedly grounded the government's own planned flights to Rwanda.
A Core Election Promise
Farage's announcement significantly raises the stakes on immigration in the lead-up to the general election. He has promised voters that a vote for Reform UK is a vote for a dramatic overhaul of the UK's asylum system, with the Rwanda scheme serving as its centrepiece.
"We would get flights off to Rwanda. That is a core pledge of what we would do," Farage stated unequivocally, criticising the Conservatives for their failure to deliver on their own promises.
Leaving the ECHR: The Ultimate Solution?
The commitment to leave the ECHR marks a more radical approach than even the current government has been willing to take. Farage argues that this decisive break is necessary to regain full control of the UK's borders and end the cycle of legal appeals that prevent deportations.
This policy is designed to appeal to voters frustrated by the continued arrival of small boats across the English Channel, an issue that has dominated political discourse for years.
Challenging the Conservative Record
By championing this policy, Farage directly attacks the Conservative Party's record on immigration, a traditional stronghold for them. He aims to position Reform UK as the only party truly committed to and capable of stopping illegal immigration, potentially siphoning votes from the right flank of the political spectrum.
The success of this pledge could hinge on the public's appetite for such a definitive and legally complex break with international human rights frameworks, making it one of the most contentious issues of the election campaign.
