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Sir Keir Starmer has said Reform’s plans to scrap indefinite leave to remain and deport hundreds of thousands of people living in the UK with that status is ‘racist’.
On Monday, Nigel Farage announced his party would replace the current system – in which those who have lived and worked here for several years can stay as long as they like – with a five-year temporary visa that could be renewed.
The proposals would apply retroactively, meaning those who are currently living legally in the UK with indefinite leave to remain and cannot get citizenship or a visa would be deported back to their home country.
Reform policy chief Zia Yusuf has said this could apply to hundreds of thousands of people.
In an interview with Laura Kuenssberg on her BBC show this morning, the Prime Minister said it was a ‘racist policy’.
Sir Keir said: ‘It is one thing to say we’re going to remove illegal migrant, people who have no right to be here – I’m up for that.
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‘It is a completely different thing to say we are going to reach in to people who are lawfully here and start removing them.
‘They are our neighbours, they’re people who work in our economy. They are part of who we are. It will rip this country apart.’
However, he added that he did not think Reform UK is trying to appeal to racists with its policies, saying many of the party’s backers are ‘frustrated’.
The policy announcement on Monday was also criticised by groups including the Royal College of Nursing, who said it was ‘abhorrent beyond words’ and would lead to the sacking of thousands of migrant health staff.
Speaking on LBC earlier this week, Farage said: ‘We want people to have work visas, we want people here who work and pay taxes. And if they do, that’s fine.
‘But we do not people coming in, slipping through this five-year system, and frankly becoming a burden on the country.’
Metro has contacted Reform UK for comment.
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