In a move set to ignite a political firestorm, Reform UK is advocating for a drastic new approach to the Channel migrant crisis: deporting asylum seekers directly to Afghanistan, with the UK reportedly footing the bill for the Taliban to accept them.
The controversial proposal, which echoes the government's stalled Rwanda scheme, is being pitched as the only viable deterrent to the perilous small boat crossings. It suggests that offering payments to the Taliban-led government could be the key to stemming the flow of arrivals from the south coast.
The Blueprint for a New Deportation Deal
According to the plan, any migrant who arrives illegally via small boat would be immediately processed and then removed to their country of origin or a safe third nation. For those originating from Afghanistan, this would mean being sent back to the capital, Kabul, which has been under Taliban control since 2021.
The policy explicitly states that the UK should 'not be afraid to offer financial incentives to facilitate the return of illegal migrants to their home country'. This raises the extraordinary prospect of British taxpayers' money being used to broker a deal with the sanctioned regime.
A Mirror to the Rwanda Scheme
This new proposal is seen as a direct alternative to the Conservative government's flagship Rwanda deportation plan, which has been bogged down in legal challenges and has yet to see a single flight take off. Reform UK argues their plan is more effective as it focuses on repatriation to home nations rather than third countries.
The party's leader, Richard Tice, has been a vocal critic of the current government's handling of immigration, claiming that only a 'robust and immediate removal policy' will break the business model of people smuggling gangs.
Legal and Ethical Minefields
The potential policy is fraught with immense legal and ethical complications. The UK does not officially recognise the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, and the country is still considered highly unstable by the Foreign Office.
Human rights organisations are likely to condemn any plan that involves returning individuals to a regime known for its brutal treatment of dissent and its severe restrictions on human rights, particularly for women.
Furthermore, the notion of paying a designated terrorist group could provoke significant national and international outcry, creating a major diplomatic dilemma for Westminster.
As the debate over small boat crossings continues to dominate political discourse, this radical proposal from Reform UK ensures that the topic of immigration will remain at the very top of the agenda, challenging other parties to formulate their response.
