Story perspectives

Farage pledges 5-year asylum suspension if Reform wins 2029

By Drooid · Oct 13, 2026, 10:05 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Nigel Farage, Reform UK leader, pledged to suspend UK asylum system for five years if Reform UK wins 2029.
He said roughly 90,000 pending asylum applications would be voided and new claims automatically rejected.
Failed applicants would be returned to their home country or a safe third country.
Refugee charities say the plan could force returns to Afghanistan or Iran, risking persecution.

History

Historical Context

The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (c. 33), passed under Prime Minister Tony Blair, sped case processing, created a dispersal system and withdrew NHS support for asylum seekers refusing voluntary removal. It followed reforms since 1993, notably the 2006 Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act. Reform UK’s 2029 pledge to suspend the asylum system mirrors this hard-line trend.

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Story summary

Nigel Farage, Reform UK leader, pledged to suspend UK asylum system for five years if Reform UK wins 2029.
He said roughly 90,000 pending asylum applications would be voided and new claims automatically rejected.
Failed applicants would be returned to their home country or a safe third country.
Refugee charities say the plan could force returns to Afghanistan or Iran, risking persecution.

1 / 2