Downing Street strongly criticized Nigel Farage’s immigration proposals as being unrealistic, unworkable, and lacking funding, while also accusing Reform UK of promoting division. Keir Starmer’s press secretary mentioned that Reform UK’s new plans to eliminate the main path to British citizenship for migrants show a lack of interest in solving Britain’s issues. The proposal to abolish indefinite leave to remain (ILR) could jeopardize the legal status of tens of thousands of individuals settled in the UK.
Reform’s assertion that their plan could save taxpayers £234 billion has faced scrutiny after the Centre for Policies think tank disavowed the claim. Nigel Farage’s statement about making significant cuts to welfare spending exclusively for UK citizens was contradicted by his colleague Zia Yusuf, who clarified that the policy would not affect those under the post-Brexit EU settlement scheme.
The Prime Minister’s office criticized Farage’s recurrent presentation of impractical and unfunded plans, highlighting Reform’s inclination towards exacerbating societal divides instead of addressing critical national issues. They emphasized the importance of choosing a path of national renewal over one of division and decline promoted by Reform UK.
Currently, migrants can apply for ILR after five years of residency in the UK. However, Reform UK aims to introduce visa renewal every five years, imposing stricter criteria such as higher income thresholds and language proficiency requirements. The party also proposes extending the residency requirement to seven years, imposing stricter rules on family reunification, and denying access to welfare benefits.
Both Farage and Reform’s policy lead, Zia Yusuf, have claimed significant taxpayer savings exceeding £230 billion. However, these figures have come under scrutiny as they rely on data from a report disavowed by the Centre of Policy Studies, indicating that the estimates should no longer be considered valid.
A Labour source criticized Farage’s announcement, stating that Reform’s proposals lack credibility and substance. Chancellor Rachel Reeves highlighted that the claimed savings by Reform UK are already being questioned, emphasizing the government’s efforts to address illegal migration and reform the welfare system.
In response to the criticism, a Government spokesperson clarified that illegal residents are not eligible for benefits, and there are discussions about extending the waiting period for foreign nationals to access benefits. The spokesperson emphasized ongoing efforts to reform the welfare system to reduce the benefits bill.
A spokesperson for Reform UK defended their proposal, suggesting that the actual fiscal impact could be higher than the estimated £234 billion due to potential higher ILR uptake rates among certain immigrant groups.