Reform pledges to open migrant detention centres in Green-voting areas

Reform UK has said it would open migrant detention centres for people awaiting deportation in areas that vote for the Green Party. The party had previously said it would build removal centres in remote areas of the country if elected, as part of plans to detain up to 24,000 people within 18 months. Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's home affairs spokesperson, said Green-controlled areas would be prioritised because of what he described as the party's support for "open borders". A Green Party spokesperson said it was a "disgusting idea" and accused Reform of "making abhorrent announcements in attempts to distract voters" from its other policies. "We recognise we have an ageing population and agree the current system is broken but we are not into performative cruelty." Reform UK has also said it would not put detention centres in areas where its own party has an MP, or where it controls the council. Yusuf said: "Given the Green Party advocate for open borders and for an infinite number of undocumented men to come here, we will prioritise Green constituencies and Green-controlled councils to locate these detention centres. "This is the fairest approach to ensuring democratic consent for all aspects of our mass deportation programme." Labour Party chair Anna Turley described it as a "grotesque policy" and claimed Reform UK leader Nigel Farage wanted to "drive a toxic wedge between our communities" and "doesn't care about fixing the system". Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, said: