reform vows to deport hundreds of thousands in uk with indefinite leave to remain

Hundreds of thousands of immigrants legally staying in the UK will be deported if Reform takes over power,the party has vowed.

Leader Nigel Farage has announced Reform would scrap indefinite leave to remain (ILR) for immigrants to the UK – including those already here.

ILR gives people who have moved to the UK from abroad the ability to live and work here for as long as they want.

It’s typically granted to those who have been in the country on a work visa for five years,who have lived here for 10 years or more,or who have family here.

For many people,it is the first step in the path to becoming a British citizen.

This system would be scrapped and replaced with a new scheme in which immigrants to the UK are put on a temporary visa which they must reapply for every five years.

Sign up to Metro's politics newsletter,Alright Gov?

Craig Munro breaks down Westminster chaos into easy to follow insight,walking you through what the latest policies mean to you. Sent every Wednesday. Sign up here.It would not only apply to new applicants,but to people who are currently in the country on indefinite leave to remain.In an article for the Daily Express,Reform policy chief Zia Yusuf said: ‘These changes will lead to hundreds of thousands of people having to apply and ultimately losing their settled status in the UK,which will be done on a staggered and orderly basis to allow businesses to train British workers to replace them.‘Many of those who will lose their leave to remain are entirely dependent on the welfare state and will leave voluntarily upon losing access to benefits.‘Those that don’t will be subject to immigration enforcement as part of our mass deportation programme.’Such a system would be massively disruptive for those currently on ILR,who would face a future where the lives they have built in the UK would be thrown into question every five years.The Royal College of Nursing has argued such a move would have a massive impact on healthcare in the UK (Picture: Jeff Moore/PA Wire)The plan was blasted by the Royal College of Nursing,who said services ‘would simply cease to function’ without migrant staff.General Secretary Professor Nicola Roger said: ‘Threatening to sack thousands of migrant nursing staff is abhorrent beyond words.‘These are people who have come to the UK to care for patients and become part of our communities. They deserve so much better than this.’Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: ‘Thousands of Londoners have indefinite leave to remain.‘They have legal rights and are our friends,neighbours and colleagues,contributing hugely to our city.‘Threatening to deport people living and working here legally is unacceptable.’Sir Ed Davey,leader of the Liberal Democrats who are currently holding their conference in Bournemouth,branded Reform a ‘threat to our democracy,to things we hold dear,British values – decency,tolerance,respect for the rule of law’.Anna Turley MP,Labour Party Chair,described Reform’s proposals as ‘unfunded,unworkable and falling apart in real time’.She continued: ‘Farage is unable to say how many families his policy would break up,what the cost to businesses would be,what would happen to pensioners and how long it would take to implement – basic questions that any serious political party would know the answers to before making an announcement like this. ‘They’re just not serious. Yet again they’re chasing headlines with no plan. It’s just more of the don’t know answers the British public has come to expect from Farage and Reform.’