Nigel Farage has unveiled an uncompromising immigration strategy, promising to take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and initiate large-scale deportations of asylum seekers if his party, Reform UK, secures power. The former Brexit campaign leader outlined his plan in an interview with The Times on Saturday, pledging to target migrants who cross the English Channel in small boats and to negotiate agreements with countries such as Afghanistan, Eritrea, and other primary points of origin to repatriate those entering the UK illegally.
Farage argued that Britain must adopt a tougher stance similar to policies demonstrated by former US President Donald Trump. When questioned about the risk of deporting people to nations with poor human rights records—where they could face torture or execution—Farage dismissed responsibility for foreign regimes, insisting that his priority was the safety of British citizens, particularly women and girls.
The issue of asylum seekers has already fuelled tension in Britain, with small-scale protests breaking out near hotels housing migrants. These demonstrations have been amplified by public safety concerns after several migrants faced charges, including sexual assault. Broader public opinion polls consistently place immigration and asylum as the nation’s top concern, even ahead of economic issues. Reform UK, which secured five seats in the last general election, has recently led in voting intention polls, reflecting growing public frustration.
The scale of Channel crossings highlights the challenge: in 2024, around 37,000 people—mostly from Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Vietnam, and Eritrea—entered the UK from France by small boats. This figure represented a 25% increase from 2023 and accounted for roughly 9% of net migration. Research by the University of Oxford showed that about two-thirds of these arrivals were granted asylum, while only 3% were deported.
Farage told The Times that his party would introduce emergency legislation to abolish the right to claim asylum for those arriving by small boats and to prevent them from challenging deportation orders. He declared that the primary goal of this legislation would be “mass deportations”, which he described as essential to addressing what he labelled a “massive crisis” that is stoking public anger.
As part of the plan, Farage proposed establishing holding centres for 24,000 migrants on military air bases, at an estimated cost of £2.5 billion (USD 3.4 billion). His blueprint also includes operating five deportation flights per day, aiming for deportations in the hundreds of thousands. If this approach proved unfeasible, he suggested relocating asylum seekers to Ascension Island, a remote British territory in the South Atlantic, to send what he called a symbolic but strong message.
This hardline plan signals Reform UK’s strategy to capitalise on deepening public unease over migration, positioning immigration control as the party’s defining political battle.
