Overview

• At an Oxfordshire launch, Reform UK set out 'Operation Restoring Justice' to deport up to 600,000 people over five years, expand detention capacity to 24,000 and block small‑boat arrivals from claiming asylum.
• Nigel Farage later said the initial focus would be on 'illegal males', contradicting his earlier assertion that women and children would also be detained and deported in the first five years.
• Reform priced the programme at about £10bn over five years, including new detention sites, while analysts note current capacity is roughly 2,500 places and forced removals totaled about 8,200 last year.
• The party says it would withdraw from the ECHR, repeal the Human Rights Act and seek returns deals with states including Afghanistan, Eritrea and Iran, with one report quoting a Taliban official saying they were 'ready and willing' to accept Afghans sent back.
• Opposition mounted across parties and councils, with Labour’s EU relations minister warning Reform’s wider platform could cost UK trade £9bn, as Labour presses a separate 'one in, one out' pilot with France.