Nigel Farage has said a Reform UK government would suspend the asylum system for five years and threaten foreign assets in the UK if other countries refused to accept deportees. He said there were “too many people here who frankly should not be here” and the suspension would give “time to sort out the mess”.
Policy details and resettlement routes
The policy, announced at a press conference in Kent on Monday, would see all pending asylum cases rejected, with applicants then liable for deportation. Reform would also review the status of anyone granted asylum since 2024, with those from countries deemed safe by the home secretary losing their permission to remain in the UK.
All legal resettlement routes would be abolished, except those set up for Ukrainians following the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. The party’s home affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, said Reform planned to deport “north of 1 million people”, including foreign criminals and others with no right to be in the UK.
Threats over deportee acceptance
Mr Yusuf insisted the party was “not in the business of sending people to be killed or tortured”, telling the press conference there would be “third country options” for “edge cases”. Mr Farage said a future Reform government would take action against countries that did not agree to accept deportees, saying: “People will accept their bad guys back.”
He said: “If that means, in the case of Pakistan, that we have to bring in visa bans, we’ll do so. If it means threatening Pakistani nationals’ assets in London, we will do so. If it means introducing flight bans, we will do so. And in extremis, we’d even look at tariffs.”
Expanded checks and political reaction
In a policy document, the party also said it would significantly expand immigration checks, with officials carrying out food hygiene inspections, fire safety audits or health and safety checks also required to examine workers’ migration status. Labour called the plans “a clear sign of desperation and weakness”.
Party chairwoman Bridget Phillipson said: “Nigel Farage is casting around for more and more extreme policies as he tries to deal with scandals, police investigations and a growing challenge from Restore — this is a carbon copy of their policy.” Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the proposals “largely copy” the Conservatives, adding: “Banning asylum claims by illegal immigrants, abolishing the immigration tribunal and ending Labour’s resettlement routes are all existing Conservative policy.”
Green Party MP Sian Berry accused Reform of “dangerously pitting funding for the NHS against upholding basic human rights for asylum seekers”. She said: “The Green Party’s idea of a ‘normal country’ is one which stands by international treaties, and where those fleeing war and persecution are treated with human decency. It is also a country where the richest pay their fair share and our public services are properly funded.”
