Nigel Farage vows to shut down entire asylum system to deport 90,000 migrants
Nigel Farage is set to unveil plans to suspend Britain's asylum system for five years if Reform UK forms the next government, including scrapping existing applications and deporting migrants awaiting decisions.
The Reform UK leader is expected to announce the proposals today, pledging to halt the asylum system for an entire parliamentary term.
Under the plans, all active applications would be declared void, while legal refugee routes, asylum tribunals and existing resettlement schemes would be abolished.
The party says it would remove people with pending asylum and humanitarian protection appeals rather than process their cases. Around 90,000 appeals are currently awaiting consideration, according to Home Office figures cited in the proposals.
Mr Farage would also immediately close resettlement programmes which Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood recently said would reopen. Around a quarter of arrivals under the schemes were expected to be Palestinians, as well as Afghan women and girls.
The party argues there is “no mandate” for the programmes and says those who have already arrived through them would also face deportation.
In addition, refugees granted asylum within the previous five years would have their cases reviewed by the Home Office.
Mr Farage previously said the UK faced a “national security emergency”, arguing the state's first duty was to protect citizens.
“We cannot accept more asylum seekers while we still have no idea how many people are in the country illegally and the threat they pose,” he said.
Moreover, Reform UK would promise to impose tariffs to pressure other countries into accepting the return of foreigners.
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Andy Burnham to fight for new EU deal in Commons
Andy Burnham will tell MPs it would be a “dereliction of duty” not to seek a new deal with the European Union.
In a Commons address later today, the Prime Minister is expected to reiterate his argument from the Labour Party conference Brexit has done “more harm than good”.
He will call on all parties to support the Government’s approach in seeking a closer relationship with the EU, arguing such a move could help control immigration and boost growth.
A No10 source said: “Andy understands why some politicians don’t want to face up to the reality that Brexit has not delivered what they once promised.
“But it is time for a different conversation about what our long-term relationship should be. Sticking with the status quo and not working relentlessly to secure a good deal that boosts growth would be a major dereliction of duty.”
At the Labour conference in Liverpool last month, Mr Burnham said he would set out the “options” for Britain’s long-term relationship with Europe around the time of a UK-EU summit planned for the end of the year.
He has suggested those options could include rejoining the bloc.
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