Farage Proposes Repealing Human Rights Laws to Enable Mass Deportations of Asylum Seekers
Nigel Farage, leader of the UK’s anti-immigration Reform UK party, revealed a proposal aimed at repealing human rights legislation to enable large-scale deportations of asylum seekers. He argued that such measures are necessary to avoid what he described as potential “major civil disorder.”
Farage stated that if his party gains power, they would withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), abolish the Human Rights Act, and disregard other international agreements that currently prevent forced deportations of asylum seekers.
“We are close to serious civil unrest,” Farage said during a press event. “This is an invasion, as these young men enter our country unlawfully.”
This announcement comes amid ongoing small protests near hotels accommodating asylum seekers, sparked by safety concerns following allegations of sexual assault against some residents.
Polls indicate that immigration has now surpassed economic issues as the primary worry for many British voters. Although Reform UK holds only four parliamentary seats, it is leading in voter intention surveys and increasing pressure on Labour’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer to address immigration more aggressively.
In 2024, the UK received a record number of asylum applications—108,100—an increase of nearly 20% compared to the previous year. The largest groups seeking asylum came from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and Bangladesh. Particular attention has been drawn to those arriving via small boats across the Channel, with numbers hitting new highs this year.
Reform UK claims its proposed asylum law reforms could enable the deportation of 600,000 individuals within its first term if it wins the next election, expected by 2029. During the press conference, Farage asked his senior official Zia Yusuf if such large-scale deportations were achievable, to which Yusuf confidently replied, “Totally.”
The current government and previous administrations have struggled with how to manage undocumented migrants entering the country. Reform UK’s plan is the most extreme to date, involving agreements with countries such as Afghanistan and Eritrea to repatriate their citizens who entered the UK illegally.
Government minister Matthew Pennycook dismissed these proposals as ineffective “gimmicks.” He emphasised that the ECHR supports critical international agreements like the Good Friday Agreement, which brought peace to Northern Ireland after decades of conflict.
When asked about the future of that peace deal, Farage acknowledged that renegotiations might be necessary, though it would be a lengthy process.
On the same day as Farage’s announcement, an Ethiopian asylum seeker went on trial for sexual assault charges that have triggered notable protests. Farage positioned his party as the only one willing to take decisive action to address public safety fears.
“It’s about where your loyalties lie,” he said. “Are you on the side of protecting women and children on our streets, or on the side of outdated international treaties supported by questionable courts?”
Meanwhile, Starmer’s administration plans to crack down on human trafficking networks by reforming asylum appeal procedures and increasing enforcement staffing. The previous Conservative government had aimed to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, but the highest court ruled that policy unlawful.
