'Not only will we scrap the scheme, but we will reverse it,' Zia Yusuf promised
Reform UK has pledged to reverse Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s new refugee sponsorship scheme if they win the next General Election.
Speaking exclusively to GB News, Reform Home Affairs Spokesman promised his party would embark on the “biggest mass deportation this country has seen by some distance”.
Under Ms Mahmood’s proposals, refugees from conflict zones around the world would be given additional “safe and legal” routes into the UK.
It is understood to be based on Canada’s community sponsorship scheme, in which individuals may privately sponsor refugees to come to the UK.
Mr Yusuf warned that the policy would “bring thousands and thousands more people to Britain” against the wishes of the elecorate.
“Not only will we scrap the scheme, but we will reverse it,” he told GB News.
“No one Andy Burnham imports to Britain through this illegal scheme will be allowed to stay. We can't go on like this.
“The only safe and legal route I'm interested in is safe and legal routes for British people to go about their daily lives, to go to work for their daughters and the women and girls in their lives, to be able to walk home safely at night without fear.
“It's unbelievable that Labour and Andy Burnham appeared to have looked at what's been going on in British elections in recent times and thought that what the British people want is more immigration.
“British people have voted for less immigration time after time after time,” Mr Yusuf insisted.
“If Andy Burnham truly believes that this scheme is what the British people want, then he should put it in his manifesto and call a general election,” the Reform Home Affairs Spokesman challenged.
He promised that, in contrast, Reform would prosecute the “biggest mass deportation this country has seen by some distance”.
Taking aim at the political establishment, Mr Yusuf accused mainstream politicians of being unwilling to tackle the migrant crisis.
“I think most of the Labour Party, certainly most of the Labour parliamentary party, are quite happy for the invasion of Britain to continue. And I would say the same for many, if not most, inside the Conservative Party.
“Just judge them on their record in government. They had 14 years and never even took the first step: leaving the ECHR. They imported 12 million people in 14 years.
“And now look at Labour. We've now had a total of 200,000 people arrive on our beaches illegally, against the wishes or permission of the British people, in the last eight years alone.
“The core issue here is that we've had a political class, both the Tories and Labour, who have not shown the remotest bit of interest in ensuring that Britain A) has a border, or b) reversing what we keep calling an invasion.”
“British people are struggling right now,” Mr Yusuf continued, accusing the establishment of prioritising refugees over homegrown issues.
“We've got one of the highest cost-of-living crises in living memory. We have a border that is now merely a suggestion. Our public services are buckling. Our military is catastrophically underfunded.
“The crucial point about all of this is that the British government, the British political leadership, should be focused on one thing and one thing only, and that is looking out for the interests and furthering the interests of the British people.
“That's what you'll get from Prime Minister Farage and a Reform government,” he pledged.