Reform promises tariffs on countries that won’t take back migrants

Reform would impose tariffs on countries that refuse to accept the return of migrants, under sweeping immigration plans expected to be announced this week. Nigel Farage will outline a series of policies aimed at forcing countries to agree to deportations, including banning airlines from British airspace and levies on goods and services. Most commented 1 The flag that gives moral licence to hatred Columnists 497 comments 2 Labour risks losing working class over net zero, says business secretary Politics 367 comments 3 Kemi Badenoch’s Disraeli vibes are mighty tempting Columnists 190 comments 4 Peter Brookes’s Times cartoon: October 10, 2026 Cartoons 122 comments 5 England a step closer to World Cup — but look far from champions-elect Women's football 13 comments It is an escalation of Reform’s hardline deportations policy and comes as the Conservatives embrace a new political strategy with a focus on the economy. Top stories 1 Starbucks ‘explores takeover’ of Chipotle Mexican Grill US business Some 20,900 people have crossed the Channel in small boats this year, down about 40 per cent on the same period in 2025, according to official figures. More than 211,000 have made the crossing since 2018, of whom about 9,700 had been returned by June. Nigel Farage at a rally in Doncaster this month SCOTT HEPPELL/REUTERS Reform intends to impose visa bans for people who legally want to visit the UK from Pakistan, Afghanistan , Syria, Eritrea, Sudan or Somalia until the countries agree to take back illegal immigrants and foreign criminals in the UK, under plans first announced in February. The list includes several of the countries with the largest numbers of asylum seekers in the UK in recent years. Advertisement However, Reform now plans to go further than visa bans, resolving to impose tariffs to pressure countries who remain resistant. Top stories 1 ‘My husband’s family want us to pay £500 towards his sister’s holiday’ Ask Times Money 2 Mortgage rates dip after weeks of painful rises Mortgages Tariffs have been a favoured diplomatic tool for President Trump , and Reform could face significant legal challenges if it seeks to emulate his use of them. Under World Trade Organisation rules, every member must be charged the same tariff with few exceptions, known as the most-favoured nation rule. There is an exemption for a war or “emergency in international relations”. Britain relied on this principle in 2022, hiking tariffs on Russia and Belarus on emergency grounds after President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine that year. President Trump unveiled his tariffs programme at the White House in April last year Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Senior Reform figures believe tariffs would be most helpful for those countries where visa bans would have less effect. This is expected to apply to those without high numbers of their citizens in Britain but which do maintain a trading relationship. The party cites the example of Egypt as a possible target. The specific tariff rate is unclear. Farage said: “Illegal immigration is an out-of-control disaster that poses a massive threat to our national security. It’s only getting worse under Open Borders Burnham. Only Reform will deport every single illegal migrant on our shores and stop the boats.” Advertisement The Reform leader is also expected to outline further restrictions on those granted refugee status in the previous five years. The party has already pledged to revoke the status of anyone who entered the country illegally or overstayed their visa but later claimed asylum . Andy Burnham and Anna Turley, the border security minister, second right, with Coastguard officials at Dover in August JACK TAYLOR/PA Reform will look to ban airlines from British airspace, and citizens from transit, for those countries which do not comply with requests. This is unlikely to affect flights significantly and several of the countries with large numbers of asylum seekers in Britain are already subject to bans for their airlines, including Afghanistan, Sudan, Eritrea, Libya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Pakistan would be most likely to be affected. British-Pakistani families would have to switch to Gulf airlines with stopovers and Pakistan International Airlines would be unable to fly directly to Britain. Any refugee whose country of origin is deemed safe, irrespective of its status when they arrived in Britain, would have their status revoked and could be liable for deportation, as would their dependants. Farage is renewing focus on immigration after the Conservative Party conference this month. Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, focused on the economy in her conference speech and in accompanying announcements, pledging to cut inheritance tax and end the £100,000 childcare cliff edge as the party seeks to win back southern seats lost in the general election. Advertisement Net migration hit a peak of 944,000 in the year ending March 2023 but fell sharply to 204,000 in the year to June 2025. It is expected to drop below 100,000 this year, according to a forecast by Oxford Economics, the lowest since 1997. Farage has described the “ Boriswave ” — those who arrived under post-Brexit rules introduced by Boris Johnson — as “the greatest betrayal of democratic wishes certainly in anyone’s living memory.”