Farage proposes suspending asylum claims for up to five years

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has proposed a major change to asylum policy in Britain.

He says that if his party wins the next national election, it would stop people being granted asylum for up to five years.

Reform UK would also declare about 90,000 pending applications void and automatically reject new claims.

The party says failed applicants would be returned to their home countries or to a safe third country, and that it would scrap legal routes for resettlement, with an exception for Ukrainians who fled after Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Farage also said Britain could use tariffs, visa bans or airspace restrictions against countries that refuse to accept returned asylum seekers.

Refugee charities warn that deportations could send people to places such as Afghanistan or Iran, where they could face persecution, torture or death.

The next election is due in 2029, and immigration remains a leading concern among British voters.