Nigel Farage has unveiled Reform UK's mass deportation plan for asylum seekers arriving on small boats, proposing five charter flights leaving the UK daily. The Clacton MP said the scheme could see hundreds of thousands of people deported if his party entered government.
The plan includes immediate arrest of all small boat arrivals, automatic detention and forced deportation to countries including Afghanistan and Eritrea. Reform UK also proposes building detention centres to house 24,000 people and establishing deals with third countries.
Legal framework overhaul
The first step would involve leaving the European Convention on Human Rights and scrapping the Human Rights Act. This would be followed by legislation barring those arriving on small boats from claiming asylum in the UK.
Farage said: "The aim of this legislation is mass deportations. We have a massive crisis in Britain. It is not only posing a national security threat but it's leading to public anger that frankly is not very far away from disorder."
Record crossings fuel tensions
Nearly 28,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year, representing a record for this point in the calendar since data collection began in 2018. Sir Keir Starmer's Government is struggling with rising tensions over hotels housing asylum seekers.
The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, has become a focal point after a court granted a temporary injunction blocking its use for asylum accommodation. The Home Office said it would appeal the High Court's decision, while councils across the country consider similar legal challenges.
Operation costs and structure
The Express reports the scheme has been named "Operation Restoring Justice" with an estimated £10 billion cost over five years. According to the Daily Mail, this includes £2.5 billion for detention centres, £2 billion for diplomatic incentives, £1.5 billion for staff and £1.5 billion for flights.
The Express also reveals plans for a voluntary returns scheme offering £2,500 payments for those who agree to self-deportation within six months. Revival of the Conservative Party's Rwanda plan or deals with Albania could form part of the third country arrangements.
Political response
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp dismissed the proposals as recycled Tory ideas. He said: "This big reveal is just recycling many ideas the Conservatives have already announced. Nigel Farage previously claimed mass deportations were impossible, and now he says it's his policy."
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said ministers are working to close asylum hotels "as swiftly as possible" as part of an "orderly" programme. The Government has pledged to crack down on smuggling gangs to deter Channel crossings.
Sources used: "PA Media", "The Times", "Express", "Daily Mail", "The Standard", "GB News", "Independent" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
