Reform UK Pledges Migrant Detention Centres in Green-Voting Areas, Citing "Open Borders" Stance

Reform UK has confirmed it would establish migrant detention centres in areas that support the Green Party. This initiative is part of a programme to detain up to 24,000 individuals awaiting deportation within 18 months, previously stated to involve remote locations across the country.

Targeting Green-Voting Regions

Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's home affairs spokesperson, explained that Green-controlled areas would be prioritised due to what he termed the party's support for "open borders". He stated, "Given the Green Party advocate for open borders and for an infinite number of undocumented men to come here, we will prioritise Green constituencies and Green-controlled councils to locate these detention centres. This is the fairest approach to ensuring democratic consent for all aspects of our mass deportation programme." Reform UK also confirmed that areas with its own Members of Parliament or council control would not host such facilities.

Political Condemnation and Cost Implications

A Green Party spokesperson labelled the proposal a "disgusting idea", accusing Reform of "making abhorrent announcements in attempts to distract voters". The spokesperson affirmed, "We want a fair and managed immigration system... we are not into performative cruelty." Labour Party Chair Anna Turley criticised the idea as a "grotesque policy", alleging Reform UK leader Nigel Farage sought to "drive a toxic wedge between our communities". Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, dismissed it as a policy "made up on the spot for a social media video." Scotland's First Minister, John Swinney, described it as an "illustration of the dangerous nature of Reform's politics" and an "attempt to divide communities".

Reform UK also intends to introduce a Mass Deportation Detention Act, granting the Home Secretary powers to override local council objections to detention centre openings. Individuals held in these centres would be unable to leave and would typically remain for approximately two weeks before deportation. Current official figures indicate that building a single "closed" facility bed costs around GBP#500,000. Scaling this design to accommodate 24,000 new detention spaces would incur an estimated cost of GBP#12 billion.