Farage Vows to Quit ECHR, Deport Illegal Migrants if Elected

Nigel Farage has unveiled a hardline immigration policy that he says will define Reform UK’s campaign for the next general election.

Speaking at a press conference at Oxford Airport on Tuesday, the Reform UK leader pledged to take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and implement immediate detention and deportation for anyone arriving in the UK illegally.

“If you come to the UK illegally, you will be detained and deported and never, ever allowed to stay, period,” Farage said. The announcement comes as frustration grows over rising migrant crossings and the government’s reliance on hotels to house asylum-seekers.

More than 28,000 people have crossed the English Channel so far this year, a 50% increase compared with the same period in 2024. Over 111,000 asylum applications were filed in the year leading to June, according to official figures.

Farage argued that the UK is being “invaded” by migrants and linked the pressure on healthcare, housing, and public services to immigration. He claimed the “mood in the country” has shifted to “despair and rising anger,” warning of a “genuine threat to public order” if the issue remains unresolved.

The Reform UK leader said his party would build more detention facilities and negotiate return deals with countries such as Afghanistan, Eritrea, and Iran. He dismissed concerns about asylum-seekers facing torture or persecution if sent back, saying: “The alternative is to do nothing. We cannot be responsible for all the sins that take place around the world.”

Reform currently holds just four seats in the 650-member House of Commons, yet national polls suggest its support now rivals or exceeds both Labour and the Conservatives.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who scrapped the previous Conservative plan to send migrants to Rwanda, has pursued a more limited agreement with France to return some Channel arrivals. UK officials have touted the “one in, one out” scheme as a breakthrough, though the programme remains small in scale.

Meanwhile, public anger over housing asylum-seekers in hotels has sparked protests across the country. Tensions boiled over in Epping last month after a migrant resident at the Bell Hotel was charged with sexual assault.

The incident fuelled anti-immigrant demonstrations and counter-protests, prompting local authorities to secure a temporary injunction against further migrant housing at the site.

Farage’s announcement signals Reform UK’s intention to use immigration as its central election issue, positioning itself against Labour’s incremental approach and the Conservatives’ failed attempts to curb Channel crossings.

Whether his party can translate polling momentum into parliamentary power remains uncertain. But Farage’s message—simple, uncompromising, and divisive—appears to be resonating with voters angry at the government’s perceived inability to regain control of Britain’s borders.

This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members