Reform UK has pledged to bring in a new law targeting the bosses of companies that employ illegal migrants with the threat of massive fines or even time in prison.
Dubbed the ‘Deliveroo Law’, the legislation would make the CEOs and directors of such firms – even multinational ones – personally and criminally liable for any illegal workers.
They would face the ‘harshest penalties in the world for those employing illegal migrants’, Nigel Farage’s party said.
But Deliveroo has hit back at Reform using its name for their proposed law, saying it has ‘led the industry’ in tackling the issue and accusing the party of citing out-of-date data.
Reform’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf said the Tories and Labour had made the UK the ‘softest-touch country in the world for illegal migrants’.
He added: ‘There are companies whose entire business model is based on profiteering from illegal working.
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‘It is a slap in the face to the public. It makes a mockery of our immigration laws, takes jobs from British workers and is funding the people smugglers in the Channel.’
According to the Mail, the party has compared the proposals to the personal liability of senior managers for financial misconduct in the companies they run.
As well as jail time for top bosses, firms would be fined 10% of their global revenues under the law.
A spokesperson for Deliveroo said: ‘Illegal working should absolutely be addressed, and that’s why we’ve led the industry in cracking down on the sophisticated, organised criminals who attempt to abuse our platform.
‘We run Right to Work checks on all riders, conduct multiple daily identity checks and use cutting-edge fraud-detection technology, and we’d encourage other industries affected by illegal working to do the same.’
The delivery firm also said data used by Reform in its announcement date back to 2023 and do not reflect the current situation.
Meanwhile, Yusuf is also set to announce a ‘Turkish Barbers tip line’ which would encourage the public to report high street businesses they suspect may be employing illegal workers or covering up organised criminal activity.
Local police forces would be given a share of the fines generated, incentivising them to investigate the tip-offs.
Currently, those found to employ someone who does not have the right to work in the UK can face a civil penalty of up to £60,000 per illegal worker.
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