On Monday, February 23, 2026, Reform UK’s new home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, is set to deliver a highly charged speech in Dover, unveiling a sweeping set of proposals that could fundamentally reshape Britain’s approach to immigration, policing, and national security. The package, described by Yusuf as a response to a "national security emergency," has already sparked fierce debate across the political spectrum and among rights groups.
According to The Independent, Yusuf’s address will lay out plans to scrap indefinite leave to remain, a long-standing route to permanent residency in the UK. In its place, the party proposes a renewable five-year work visa and a dedicated spouse visa, aiming to overhaul the current system for those seeking to settle in Britain. The new structure would, in Yusuf's words, ensure “clear rules about who can come here and swift action against those with no right to be here.”
Central to Reform UK’s vision is the creation of a UK Deportation Command, modeled after the controversial US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. As reported by Express and The Times, this new body would have the capacity to detain up to 24,000 migrants at any one time, with the stated goal of deporting up to 288,000 people annually. To facilitate these removals, the party proposes running five chartered deportation flights each day, supported by a standby RAF Voyager aircraft. Former military installations would be repurposed into temporary detention centers, with Reform estimating these could be operational within eighteen months at a cost of £2.5 billion.
Yusuf is expected to declare, “As home secretary I will use every instrument of state to deport all illegal migrants in Britain, including visa bans on countries that refuse to take back their illegals. Further countries will be announced soon. Reform will do what it takes to finally secure our borders, uphold the rule of law and put the British people first.”
But the proposals do not stop there. In a bid to tackle extremism, Yusuf will announce plans to overhaul the Prevent counter-terrorism programme. A striking new rule would mandate automatic home searches for anyone referred to Prevent by three separate, corroborating authorities—a move that has drawn sharp criticism from civil liberties advocates. The Muslim Brotherhood would be outlawed, and the party promises a “zero-tolerance” approach to Islamist extremism. These measures, according to Yusuf, are about “addressing real threats” and “protecting British culture.”
Reform UK’s law enforcement agenda is equally uncompromising. The party pledges a “vast expansion” of stop and search powers, including what Yusuf calls “saturation policing” in high-crime areas, alongside intensive neighborhood patrols to combat Britain’s knife crime epidemic. Police, he argues, must stop producing TikTok content and driving Pride-emblazoned cars, focusing instead on arresting offenders. To support these ambitions, new prisons would be constructed at what Yusuf describes as “the fastest rate of our lifetimes.”
Yusuf’s speech will also touch on what the party frames as “cultural preservation.” Reform UK promises to grant immediate listed status to all churches, legally preventing their conversion into mosques or other places of worship, a policy justified by the party as “protecting Britain’s Christian heritage.” Universal Credit welfare payments for foreign nationals would be terminated immediately, and police would be stripped of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mandates—a move the party claims will refocus law enforcement on core duties.
In a further escalation, Yusuf will announce “visa freezes” on countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, Sudan, and Somalia if they refuse to accept back migrants with no legal right to remain in Britain. This threat, according to The Times, is intended to force greater cooperation from governments that have historically resisted UK deportation requests. Official statistics, Yusuf notes, show that Pakistani nationals feature prominently among visa overstayers, justifying the focus on these countries.
Reform’s costings for these ambitious plans, including the £2.5 billion investment in detention infrastructure, are expected to be set out at Monday’s event. The party insists the measures are necessary to restore public confidence in Britain’s borders and uphold the rule of law. “For decades, the Tories and Labour have turned the other way while the very fabric of our society has been under assault,” Yusuf is expected to say. “The social contract has not merely been broken; it’s been shattered. Under a Reform government, His Majesty’s Parliament will be sovereign once again. We will secure our borders, leave the ECHR and deport those here illegally. My message to the British people is simple: I will secure our borders and make you feel safe.”
The reaction from political opponents and rights organizations has been swift and scathing. Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley condemned the proposals, arguing, “Reform wants to divide our country, not deliver for the British people. Their plan to deport people who have followed the rules, worked hard and built their lives here – our friends, neighbours and colleagues – is a direct attack on settled families and fundamentally un-British.” She added, “The British people are right to expect firm control of our borders – with clear rules about who can come here and swift action against those with no right to be here – alongside action to make our country safe – and that is what Labour is delivering.”
Amnesty International UK was similarly critical, with Steve Valdez-Symonds stating, “We are most threatened by those who seek to strip away our basic rights and protections - not the people they scapegoat to justify mass deportations and expanded police surveillance. Our society is built on diversity, not monoculture. Targeting vulnerable communities in the name of security puts everyone at risk. True national security protects rights, upholds justice, and defends our shared humanity. Sacrificing freedoms for politics driven by fear weakens the very country we all claim to defend.”
The plans have also reignited debates about Britain’s relationship with international human rights frameworks. Reform UK’s commitment to leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is seen by some as a direct challenge to long-standing legal protections. As noted by The Guardian, last week’s focus was on the Equality Act; this week, it’s the ECHR—raising concerns about a broader agenda to roll back rights and safeguards.
Adding to the political drama, Reform UK’s aggressive new stance comes on the heels of several high-profile defections from the Conservative Party, including Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick, both of whom now hold spokesperson roles within Reform. This has only intensified scrutiny of the party’s direction and its potential influence on the broader political landscape.
As the country awaits Yusuf’s speech, the stage is set for a fierce contest over the future of Britain’s borders, identity, and values. Reform UK’s proposals have drawn both passionate support from those demanding tougher controls and strong condemnation from those who see them as an affront to British traditions of tolerance and justice. The debate is unlikely to settle soon, but one thing is clear: the issue of immigration and national security remains at the heart of the nation’s political conversation.