Reform UK have reached for a desperate new anti-migrant policy by announcing they would shut down the asylum system for up to five years if they got into power.

As the party continue to fall further behind a resurgent Labour in pretty much every way, they’re trying to cook up ways to wrestle back some momentum.

But instead of offering any sort of vision of hope or optimism for Brits, it seems all they have is yet more anti-migrant rhetoric, which they keep pushing further in an apparent bid to win back the most right-wing voters who have been swayed by Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain.

The latest example of this has been the announcement that, if they won the next general election, Reform would shut down the asylum system for a full parliamentary term.

The plans would see a ban implemented on migrants being granted asylum and the immediate deportation of some 90,000 applicants.

All asylum tribunals, legal refugee routes and resettlement schemes would be suspended as part of efforts to tackle what Nigel Farage has called a “national security emergency.”

Refugees who had been granted asylum in the last five years would also have their cases reviewed by the Home Office.

The asylum system plans have been slammed by Reform’s political opponents, with Labour Party chair Bridget Phillipson labelling them a “clear sign of desperation and weakness.”

“Nigel Farage is casting around for more and more extreme policies as he tries to deal with scandals, police investigations and a growing challenge from Restore — this is a carbon copy of their policy,” she said.

“Running away from basic decency by entirely abandoning those escaping war and persecution might look to Reform like a way of winning a bidding war with other parties on the right, but the vast majority of British people will reject it as an assault on our common values.”

On the right, Tory shadow minister Chris Philp accused Farage of replicating a Conservative Party announcement last year.

“Banning asylum claims by illegal immigrants, abolishing the immigration tribunal and ending Labour’s resettlement routes are all existing Conservative policy,” Philp said.

Meanwhile, commentators reckon the policy proposal is a sign that Reform have “run out of road.”

Mail on Sunday columnist Dan Hodges wondered where Reform would go next now that there is “essentially no-one left to exclude from, or throw out of, the country.”

The Mirror’s Kevin Maguire also described the idea as “desperate”, adding that Farage was “letting Rupert Lowe pull his strings.”

Reform Reach New Levels of Desperation With Plans to Shut Down Asylum System

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has sparked a major political backlash after announcing plans to completely shut down Britain’s asylum system for up to five years if the party wins the next general election.

The controversial proposal would effectively end the processing of asylum applications for an entire parliamentary term, with existing applications cancelled and thousands of people facing immediate deportation.

The announcement has been condemned by Labour, refugee organisations and human rights campaigners, who warn that the policy could undermine Britain’s longstanding commitment to protecting people fleeing war, persecution and political oppression.

For Reform, the announcement represents another attempt to put immigration at the centre of the national political debate.

However, critics argue that Farage’s increasingly hardline approach demonstrates a party struggling to maintain its political momentum as Labour strengthens its position and competition from Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain intensifies.

Rather than presenting a convincing programme for Britain’s future, opponents say Reform appears increasingly focused on competing over who can propose the toughest immigration restrictions.

The latest announcement has therefore created another uncomfortable political moment for Farage, whose party is attempting to establish itself as a credible alternative government.

Nigel Farage Announces Five-Year Suspension of Asylum System

The announcement was made by Farage during a press conference in Kent on 12 October 2026.

The Reform leader declared that a future Reform government would shut down Britain’s asylum system for an entire parliamentary term.

Farage described the situation as a national security emergency and argued that the existing system had become incapable of managing immigration effectively.

Under the proposals, all new asylum applications would be rejected, while existing applications would be cancelled.

The party also intends to mark current applicants for deportation, effectively preventing them from having their claims considered through the normal asylum process.

Reform estimates that approximately 90,000 people currently have outstanding asylum and humanitarian protection appeals.

These individuals would be affected by the proposed changes.

The party argues that Britain cannot continue operating an asylum system that allows applications and appeals to remain unresolved for extended periods.

However, critics say that simply cancelling applications does not solve the underlying problems facing the immigration system.

Instead, it could create an enormous humanitarian and legal crisis.

Refugees Fleeing War Could Lose Their Chance to Find Safety

One of the most controversial elements of Reform’s proposal is the decision to suspend the granting of refugee status and humanitarian protection.

The current asylum system allows individuals fleeing persecution, armed conflict and serious threats to their safety to seek protection in Britain.

Their applications are assessed according to domestic legislation and international obligations.

Under Reform’s proposed system, those protections would effectively be suspended for five years.

This would include people escaping countries experiencing severe political instability, armed conflict and systematic human rights abuses.

The party also wants to close existing legal resettlement routes, although it says Ukrainian protection arrangements would be retained.

Refugee organisations have warned that the consequences could be devastating for vulnerable people.

They argue that individuals escaping violence should not automatically be treated as illegal migrants without an assessment of their circumstances.

The Refugee Council has described the proposals as unworkable and warned that closing the asylum system would create chaos.

Its chief policy analyst, Jon Featonby, argued that desperate people would continue arriving in Britain but could be driven underground, leaving them more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

The organisation believes the government should focus on processing applications more quickly rather than abandoning the system altogether.

Reform Wants to Deport 90,000 People With Outstanding Appeals

Another major element of the announcement concerns the thousands of people currently waiting for decisions on their asylum appeals.

Reform wants to abolish the immigration and asylum tribunal system as part of its proposed crackdown.

The party argues that the tribunal process has become a major obstacle to deporting people who have no legal right to remain in Britain.

Its policy document identifies more than 90,000 outstanding asylum and humanitarian protection appeals.

Under the proposals, these cases would not be heard through the existing system.

Instead, the applicants would be marked for deportation.

This approach has attracted considerable criticism because an outstanding appeal can involve important questions about whether an individual would face persecution, torture or other serious harm if returned to their country of origin.

Human rights campaigners argue that removing the opportunity to challenge an asylum decision would undermine fundamental protections.

They also question how the government could safely determine which individuals can legally be deported without examining their individual circumstances.

Reform insists that its plans are necessary to restore control over Britain’s borders.

However, the practical and legal challenges could be enormous.

Reform Also Wants Britain to Leave the European Human Rights Convention

The asylum announcement forms part of a much wider immigration strategy.

Reform has also proposed withdrawing Britain from the European Convention on Human Rights.

The party wants to repeal the Human Rights Act 1998 and disapply the 1951 Refugee Convention.

It argues that these changes would remove legal obstacles preventing the government from deporting people who have entered Britain illegally.

The proposals would represent a major departure from Britain’s existing human rights framework.

The European Convention on Human Rights protects fundamental rights, including the prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment.

These protections apply regardless of someone’s immigration status.

Critics argue that withdrawing from international agreements would damage Britain’s reputation and weaken protections that have been central to its legal system for decades.

Reform, however, maintains that the existing arrangements prevent the government from controlling immigration effectively.

The party believes that changing the legal framework would allow a much more aggressive deportation programme.

Farage Threatens Visa Bans and Economic Pressure on Other Countries

Reform’s proposals also include measures aimed at forcing foreign governments to accept people deported from Britain.

Farage has threatened visa restrictions against countries that refuse to cooperate with deportation arrangements.

Countries specifically mentioned include Pakistan, Somalia, Eritrea, Syria, Afghanistan and Sudan.

The party has also suggested using trade tariffs, flight restrictions and other diplomatic measures.

Farage went further by suggesting that assets belonging to foreign nationals in London could become a target of pressure if their governments refused to accept deportees.

These proposals have attracted attention because they would extend the immigration dispute into Britain’s wider diplomatic and economic relationships.

The question is whether threatening other countries would actually persuade them to cooperate or instead create further diplomatic tensions.

Britain has important commercial, security and political relationships with many of the countries mentioned.

Any attempt to impose sweeping restrictions could therefore have consequences beyond immigration policy.

Labour Accuses Farage of Political Desperation

Labour has responded angrily to the announcement, accusing Farage of becoming increasingly extreme as Reform faces growing political pressure.

Bridget Phillipson, Labour’s party chairwoman, described the proposals as a clear sign of desperation and weakness.

She argued that Farage was attempting to outdo his political opponents by adopting increasingly hardline positions on immigration.

Phillipson also pointed to the growing challenge from Restore Britain and the controversies surrounding Reform’s leadership.

Labour believes that abandoning the asylum system entirely would undermine Britain’s commitment to helping people escaping war and persecution.

The party argues that immigration must be controlled through effective enforcement, faster asylum decisions and the removal of individuals who have no legal right to remain.

Its position is that Britain can reduce irregular migration without abandoning its humanitarian responsibilities.

The criticism is politically significant because Labour is attempting to present itself as a government capable of managing immigration while maintaining respect for international law.

Even the Conservatives Accuse Farage of Copying Their Policies

The announcement has also produced an interesting reaction from the Conservative Party.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp accused Reform of copying policies previously proposed by the Conservatives.

He argued that banning certain asylum claims, abolishing immigration tribunals and ending particular resettlement routes were already elements of Conservative immigration policy.

This creates an awkward situation for Farage.

Reform has repeatedly presented itself as a political alternative to the Conservatives, promising a much tougher approach to immigration.

Yet the Conservatives are now arguing that several elements of Reform’s latest announcement are not particularly original.

The exchange also demonstrates how immigration has become an increasingly competitive issue among Britain’s right-wing political parties.

With Reform, the Conservatives and Restore Britain all attempting to attract voters concerned about immigration, the political debate risks becoming a competition over increasingly restrictive proposals.

Refugee Council Warns the Plans Could Create Chaos

The strongest criticism has come from organisations working directly with refugees and asylum seekers.

The Refugee Council warned that closing the asylum system would not stop people fleeing dangerous situations from attempting to reach Britain.

Instead, it could leave vulnerable individuals without a clear legal process through which to seek protection.

The organisation also highlighted the contribution refugees have made to British communities over many decades.

People who have escaped war and persecution have gone on to work, establish businesses and contribute to public services.

Its argument is that an effective asylum system should distinguish between people genuinely requiring international protection and those who do not qualify.

That requires properly examining applications and making decisions as quickly as possible.

The organisation believes that a system based on blanket rejection would create more problems than it solves.

It has therefore called on political parties to concentrate on practical reforms rather than abandoning the principles of refugee protection.

Reform’s Immigration Strategy Raises Questions About Its Wider Political Direction

The announcement comes at a difficult time for Farage’s party.

Reform has faced criticism over internal controversies, questions surrounding its financial arrangements and competition from Restore Britain.

At the same time, Labour has been attempting to rebuild its political support.

The latest immigration announcement appears designed to demonstrate that Reform remains committed to its toughest promises.

However, there is a difference between proposing a dramatic policy and demonstrating that it could actually work.

A five-year suspension of the asylum system would require enormous administrative changes, substantial detention and deportation capacity, international cooperation and major legal reforms.

Reform has also suggested creating a specialised deportation agency and expanding detention capacity to between 24,000 and 28,000 places.

The financial and operational implications would be considerable.

There would also be difficult questions about the treatment of children, families and people who cannot safely be returned to their countries of origin.

These are not minor administrative details. They are fundamental issues that any government would need to address.

Conclusion: Farage’s Hardline Immigration Plan Sparks Another Political Storm

Reform UK’s proposal to shut down Britain’s asylum system for five years has triggered a major political controversy.

Nigel Farage insists that the country needs a radical change in immigration policy, with all pending asylum applications cancelled and tens of thousands of applicants facing deportation.

However, Labour has accused Reform of political desperation, while the Refugee Council has warned that the proposals could create chaos and expose vulnerable people to exploitation.

The Conservatives have also questioned the originality of the announcement, arguing that several elements already resemble their own immigration policies.

Beyond the political arguments, the practical and legal consequences remain enormous.

Britain would need to address its international obligations, establish workable deportation arrangements and ensure that individuals facing persecution are not simply sent back into danger.

For Farage, the announcement may strengthen his appeal among voters demanding much tougher immigration controls.

But it also creates serious questions about whether Reform has a realistic and legally sustainable plan for governing the country.

As Labour attempts to recover and the political competition on the right becomes increasingly intense, immigration is likely to remain one of the biggest battlegrounds ahead of the next general election.