Reform UK Sparks Uproar with Plan to Deport Hundreds of Thousands Through Asylum Review

Home Office/ PA Media

Reform UK has ignited fierce political debate after pledging to immediately review all asylum claims granted over the past five years if it wins the next general election, a move that could see up to 400,000 people facing deportation.

Under the proposed policy, anyone granted asylum during that period could have their case reassessed. The review would also target individuals who overstayed visas or originate from countries that a Reform-led government would classify as safe. Party officials argue the plan is necessary to restore control over the UK’s immigration system.

The proposal forms part of a broader hardline stance on migration led by party leader Nigel Farage. Reform UK has previously pledged to bar migrants arriving via small boats and suggested its wider policies could result in as many as 600,000 deportations over five years.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, the party’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf described the scale of the plan as “unprecedented,” insisting it would prevent what he called abuse of the system. “We are not going to allow the British people’s goodwill to be taken advantage of,” he said.

The announcement comes as the current Labour government continues to tighten immigration controls. Ministers have outlined measures aimed at dismantling human trafficking networks, reducing reliance on asylum hotels, and extending the waiting period before migrants can qualify for indefinite leave to remain.

However, Reform’s proposals have drawn strong criticism from across the political spectrum. The Conservative Party accused Reform of borrowing its policies “without the detail,” while the Liberal Democrats dismissed the plan as an “impractical farce,” raising concerns about its feasibility and legal implications.

Central to Reform’s approach is its proposal for the UK to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights, a move the party argues would remove legal barriers to deportations. It has also called for the abolition of automatic permanent settlement after five years, signaling a significant shift in how long-term residency is granted.

Legal experts and critics warn that revisiting settled asylum cases on such a large scale could overwhelm the system, trigger extensive court challenges, and create uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of people already living in the UK.

As immigration continues to dominate the political agenda, Reform UK’s proposal has intensified the national conversation, highlighting deep divisions over how far the country should go in reshaping its asylum policies.