Reform UK has said it would scrap Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s proposed refugee sponsorship scheme if it wins the next general election.
Speaking exclusively to GB News, a Reform UK Home Affairs spokesperson said the party would launch what it called the “biggest mass deportation this country has ever seen, by some distance.”
Under Ms Mahmood’s plan, refugees from conflict zones would be offered expanded “safe and legal” routes to come to the UK. The proposal is understood to draw inspiration from Canada’s community sponsorship model, where private individuals or groups can help support refugees resettling in the country.
Mr Yusuf warned the policy would “bring thousands and thousands more people to Britain” against the wishes of the electorate.
“We will not just scrap the scheme — we will reverse it,” he said.
“No one brought to Britain through this scheme will be allowed to stay. We cannot continue like this.
“The only safe and legal routes I care about are those that allow British people to go about their daily lives safely — for women and girls to walk home at night without fear.”
He also criticised Labour and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, claiming they had misunderstood public sentiment on immigration.
“It’s unbelievable that Labour and Andy Burnham seem to think what the British people want is more immigration,” he said. “Time and again, people have voted for less immigration.”
He challenged Burnham to include the policy in an election manifesto.
“If Andy Burnham truly believes this is what people want, he should put it in his manifesto and call a general election,” he added.
Mr Yusuf said Reform would instead pursue what he described as the “biggest mass deportation this country has seen.”
He also accused both Labour and the Conservatives of failing to address immigration concerns over many years.
“In my view, much of the Labour Party, and a significant part of the Conservative Party, have been comfortable allowing the situation to continue,” he said.
“They had 14 years in government and didn’t even take the first step of leaving the ECHR. They brought in millions of people over that time.
“Now under Labour, around 200,000 people have arrived on small boats in the last eight years alone.”
He added that the political class had shown “little interest” in securing the border or reversing current immigration trends.
“British people are struggling right now,” he said. “We have a cost-of-living crisis, stretched public services, and underfunded defence.
“The government should be focused on the interests of the British people above all else.”
He concluded by saying this would be the approach under a future Reform government led by Nigel Farage.
