Downing Street has strongly criticized Nigel Farage’s immigration proposals as being unrealistic, unworkable, and unfunded, accusing Reform UK of promoting division.
Keir Starmer’s press secretary stated that Reform UK’s new plan to eliminate the primary path to British citizenship for migrants shows their lack of interest in resolving issues in the UK effectively. Their proposal to abolish indefinite leave to remain (ILR) could endanger tens of thousands of legally settled individuals in the country.
The credibility of Reform UK’s plans has come into question after the Centre for Policies think tank disavowed their assertion that the initiative could save taxpayers £234 billion, raising doubts about the accuracy of Reform’s financial projections.
Nigel Farage boasted about potential welfare spending cuts limited to UK citizens, yet his colleague Zia Yusuf acknowledged that this exclusion would not apply to individuals under the post-Brexit EU settlement scheme, which includes a majority of foreign Universal Credit claimants.
The Prime Minister’s spokesperson highlighted the unrealistic nature of Nigel Farage’s recurrent proposals, emphasizing Reform’s tendency to sow discord instead of addressing national challenges constructively.
The proposed changes by Reform UK would require migrants to renew their visas every five years instead of granting indefinite leave to remain after five years of residency. The criteria for the new visa would be stricter, including a higher income threshold and proficiency in English.
Both Mr. Farage and Reform’s policy head, Zia Yusuf, claimed significant taxpayer savings exceeding £230 billion. However, these figures were originally sourced from a report by the Centre of Policy Studies, which the think tank has since discredited.
A Labour source criticized Farage’s announcement as lacking substance, emphasizing the absence of a credible plan from Reform UK. Chancellor Rachel Reeves also questioned the financial viability of Reform’s proposal, stating that the claimed cost savings are already unraveling.
Reform UK’s spokesperson defended their plan, suggesting that the actual fiscal impact could surpass the estimated figures due to higher ILR uptake rates among specific migrant groups compared to past cohorts.
The Government clarified its stance on welfare benefits for non-UK citizens, asserting that individuals residing illegally in the country are not entitled to benefits. They are considering extending the waiting period for foreign nationals to claim Universal Credit from five to ten years as part of ongoing welfare system reforms.
Reform UK reiterated their belief that the fiscal costs per migrant are underestimated, citing potential higher ILR uptake rates and increased dependency on welfare benefits among certain migrant demographics.
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