Some early reactions:
1) The Scottish Greens’ co-leader, Ross Greer, has dismissed Reform UK’s plan as “pathetic” and “Trumpesque”. He said: Reform are now openly threatening voters and not only that they’re threatening them with a power they don’t actually have. This is absolutely pathetic. People across Scotland are proud of the fact that this is a welcoming country that shows solidarity to people who need it. Reform are essentially saying ‘If you don’t vote the way we want you to, we will punish you’.
2) Fraser Nelson, Times columnist, “Another significant evolution in Reform’s style of politics. Its proposed internment camps will only be built in parts of the country that vote for its rivals. This is a new departure for UK politics: rejecting the idea of PM-for-all and instead a new partisan style.
3) Gideon Rachman, the Financial Times’ chief foreign affairs commentator, “I think most British people believe in the basic principle that no matter who you vote for, the government will treat you equally under the law. Yusuf’s plan to put detention camps in Green voting areas violates that. It is trolling as public policy and I think will damage Reform.
4) David Aaronovitch, the Radio 4, “The practical and legal problems seem insuperable. No non Reform local council would agree to it. So it’s not really a serious policy. The biggest concentrations of illegal migrants are almost certainly in the cities. You shouldn’t confuse them with the asylum seekers being accommodated in hostels. It’s likely that potential Green voters are already living among them”.
It's a petty threat and no more than we expect from Reform.
However, as I said, the Greens should have no problem with the proposal, as set out in their manifesto, and should call Reform's bluff by saying just that.
The problem, Allira, is that we do not decide building control in certain places according to their Member of Parliament ( or are we talking about local authority, or..?)
There are national guidelines.
I cannot understand the problem at all. What am I missing?
If the Green Party welcomes all and think anyone, however they arrive on our shores, should be free and not living in centres, why should they or their voters object?
greenparty.org.uk/about/our-manifesto/a-fairer-greener-welcome/
Reform won't form a Government anyway.
How many MPs do they have? 4.5?
Polanski isn't an MP either.
The results of Thursdays elections should be interesting.
Yet another Reform publicity stunt just before tomorrow’s elections: The Reform-led Lancashire county council has said it will withdraw from the government’s refugee resettlement scheme. It would mean that Lancashire would no longer participate in the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) and the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP). The schemes are actually funded by central government.
Opposition councillors have dismissed Reform’s plans as “a political stunt”. “These are central government schemes, which Lancashire county council is paid to administer. If they decide that they no longer want to be paid for that work, the government will find other [councils] that do – it won’t stop the schemes,” Azhar Ali, a councillor and leader of opposition group Progressive Lancashire, told the Lancashire Telegraph.
The Conservative group leader, Aidy Riggott, said: “I await the cabinet paper with interest and do hope that this isn’t another bungled, ill-thought-through announcement from Reform just days before local elections in Lancashire.”
The Green party group leader, Gina Dowding, added: “This is Reform UK trying to pull a political stunt, for publicity, the week of local elections – but which will actually stop government funding coming into Lancashire to support refugees who are already here.”
According to government statistics, 190,000 people were granted leave to come to or remain in the UK through safe and legal humanitarian routes in 2025, an increase on the previous year, which was largely down to extensions granted to people on existing Ukraine schemes.
A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of a statement issued by the Reform party regarding the government’s refugee resettlement scheme in Lancashire. Any changes to policy would require a decision by the cabinet.”
I genuinely believe (just my opinion!) that in terms of Aslyum Seekers and wanting them to stop crossing the channel, many people want to see this stop BUT for many different reasons.
I want it to stop for two reasons, 1) it is dangerous and too many lose their lives, and 2) extremely vile traffickers are making a fortune out of this.
If the UK had a better Asylum Seeker system and clear safe passage for said AS and smarted up its processing system and had better more effective and efficient border control I just don’t think it would be such an issue.
It really is a very tiny proportion of our overall population.
Have a better, fairer, more efficient process, look at the appeals system and review it and get rid of those few corrupt human rights lawyers.
Also look to allowing those waiting for their cases to be heard to do supervised paid or unpaid work.
Not all AS seekers are uneducated rapists and murderers and often have skills that can be utilised.
Mind you, what would Reform Campaign on if this all happened?
Meandrogrog
Casdon
Meandrogrog, I’d feel I was missing out on the rich variety of life if everybody I met thought the same thing about anything. That must be dull for you.
Not at all, I meet a wide variety of people, its just they all feel the same on this one particular issue.
Polls don’t bear that out though Meandrogrog, that’s why I asked. About a third of the population aren’t concerned, so you are missing out on quite a proportion of views within your circle.
Meandrogrog
Casdon
Meandrogrog, I’d feel I was missing out on the rich variety of life if everybody I met thought the same thing about anything. That must be dull for you.
Not at all, I meet a wide variety of people, its just they all feel the same on this one particular issue.
Snidey comment too
Meandrogrog
LemonJam
I think Farage and Reform intentionally wants their supporters to turn against none Reform supporters and stoke emotional reactions and division.
We are all adults on Gransnet and can choose whether we react as Reform intends or not. At the moment we are a democracy, and have free speech. I hope and trust Reform supporters can calmly accept that none Reform supporters simply do not like the introduction of "vote for Reform" or else, threatening style of politicsRather a snidey comment as well.
Sorry wrong quote
LemonJam
I think Farage and Reform intentionally wants their supporters to turn against none Reform supporters and stoke emotional reactions and division.
We are all adults on Gransnet and can choose whether we react as Reform intends or not. At the moment we are a democracy, and have free speech. I hope and trust Reform supporters can calmly accept that none Reform supporters simply do not like the introduction of "vote for Reform" or else, threatening style of politics
Rather a snidey comment as well.
Casdon
*Meandrogrog*, I’d feel I was missing out on the rich variety of life if everybody I met thought the same thing about anything. That must be dull for you.
Not at all, I meet a wide variety of people, its just they all feel the same on this one particular issue.
I think Farage and Reform intentionally wants their supporters to turn against none Reform supporters and stoke emotional reactions and division.
We are all adults on Gransnet and can choose whether we react as Reform intends or not. At the moment we are a democracy, and have free speech. I hope and trust Reform supporters can calmly accept that none Reform supporters simply do not like the introduction of "vote for Reform" or else, threatening style of politics
Kandinsky
*Punishing voters for not voting for you must be illegal surely!!*
‘Punishing’? Why is it a punishment to have people you want here ( migrants) living in your community?
You should be delighted! ……but clearly not.
A case of NIMBY if ever I saw one.
It is not really for posters who do not support Reform to explain or clarify why Reform think this is a punishment for none Reform areas and advantages Reform voting areas. That is for Reform to answer.
It is after all Reform that sees this as a punishment for none Reform voters. It is Reform that is making the threat, ie if you do not vote for Reform, Reform will make sure that if and when it is elected into government, the detention centres it proposes are put in none reform areas as they wish to favour and advantage those areas that vote for Reform. Thats is a tow tier society.
Ask Farage and Reform why:
1) it needs and wants to make such threats,
2) it needs and wants to divide the public,
3) it needs and wants to promote a "them and us' division,
4) it needs and wants to undermine democracy,
5) it feels it is justified to make plans and policies that favour those who vote for Reform and disadvantage (from Reform's perspective) those that do not vote for Reform.
6) it feels an authoritarian government will be better for UK citizens than a democratic government that treats all UK citizens equally.
It is Reform that has the answers for you.
Meandrogrog, I’d feel I was missing out on the rich variety of life if everybody I met thought the same thing about anything. That must be dull for you.
fancythat
How many people do you know who are unhappy about people coming into this Country illegally?
I know loads.
Some of whom I think are in favour of Reform.
But they say very little to anyone.
What will they in particular, vote on Thursday?
I know loads too, in fact everyone I meet.
fancythat
Casdon
Labour should be promoting the success to date this year, over 40% less migrants have arrived by small boat than during the same period last year, and legal migration is down by hundreds of thousands too. Their policies are working, they need to shout about it.
I am not sure I am in favour of legal migration being down, personally.
The Country needs those people.
Perhaps an idea for you to start another thread about that.
Or perhaps it has already been discussed and I didnt see or go on such a thread.
There have been threads about legal migration. Reducing the number of legal migrants is important, our population was increasing at a rate of over half a million per year, which is unsustainable. Tightening the controls, whilst allowing essential workers to work in the UK is prudent.
They would be working harder to improve the areas/councils they already control.
Haven't seen much 'success'.
Instead there are numerous reports about candidates being disbarred.
I just find it beyond belief that anyone thinks that Reform, a party which gets much of it's funding from tax exiles, is interested in the welfare and lives of people in Britain. If these people were interested in a fairer society they'd be living in the UK and paying taxes here.
Casdon
Labour should be promoting the success to date this year, over 40% less migrants have arrived by small boat than during the same period last year, and legal migration is down by hundreds of thousands too. Their policies are working, they need to shout about it.
I am not sure I am in favour of legal migration being down, personally.
The Country needs those people.
Perhaps an idea for you to start another thread about that.
Or perhaps it has already been discussed and I didnt see or go on such a thread.
As has, they arrive illegally.
This is just one of the many things that is so duplicitous about Reform. They deliberately conflate central and local issues. Their 2025 local election leaflets claimed they would freeze or cut tax. Now they say they never promised to freeze of cut council tax. So what tax were they talking about? Tice is already on record saying that if they came to power in 2029 they would not be able to give the income tax cuts they promised in 2024. What did people voting in last year's local elections think they were promised?
In reply to fancythat … People absolutely have a right to vote Reform on Thursday if they chose but if they think their local council can do anything about people coming to this country “illegally”* they are very much mistaken. It’s a matter for the Home Office.
*your word not mine as seeking asylum is not illegal. This has been explained many times.
Casdon
Labour should be promoting the success to date this year, over 40% less migrants have arrived by small boat than during the same period last year, and legal migration is down by hundreds of thousands too. Their policies are working, they need to shout about it.
Indeed they should, not that anyone will believe them!
The LP have actually achieved many things, no one seems to believe this or are happy to poke holes in everything they do, including most of the press.
fancythat
How many people do you know who are unhappy about people coming into this Country illegally?
I know loads.
Some of whom I think are in favour of Reform.
But they say very little to anyone.
What will they in particular, vote on Thursday?
I’ll be honest, I’d struggle to find anyone who doesn’t want to stop the boats/Lorrie’s bringing in migrants. I certainly want them stopped.
However, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see a better, more efficient way of Asylum Seekers being able to claim Asylum in a country of their choice.
Currently there simply is no legal way for them to enter our country and claim asylum.
Current laws, both within our own country and internationally, state very clearly that AS must be in the country of their choice in order to claim Asylum.
I don’t have the answers I’m afraid, I don’t want open borders, I won’t ever vote Reform, aside from not agreeing with their rhetoric around migrants, they appear to be a “one-trick party”, who are promising things they cannot actually make happen should they ever gain power.
Labour should be promoting the success to date this year, over 40% less migrants have arrived by small boat than during the same period last year, and legal migration is down by hundreds of thousands too. Their policies are working, they need to shout about it.
Graphite
^Parliament ignore silent people at their peril.^
Both silent and noisy people have a right to vote in a General Election every five years or sooner (or more frequently in local elections). They have the same "voice" as everyone else.
If Reform ever legitimately come to power in Westminster they can try to pass laws that do the things they say they want to do. But as I explained above, it would be a practical impossibility with not one single person with any experience of government.
This is not the USA. Unlike Trump, a Prime Minister cannot sign executive orders on a whim with a Sharpie pen.
The UK government can enact secondary legislation but as it is not made by parliament, the principle of parliamentary sovereignty – which usually prevents courts striking down legislation – does not apply to it. This means that secondary legislation can be challenged in the courts and quashed. This gives the judiciary an important role in policing the exercise of power.
Any major change Reform tried to enact would have to go through the very long process of debate and legislative scrutiny in both Houses.
If Farage and Yusuf think they would be able to behave like Trump, they would soon have a rude awakening. Actually, I dont think they are that naive ...but they think their supporters are.
Well said and (hopefully) we have a while til our GE.
I sadly don’t think many people take a big enough interest in politics or bother to properly understand how legislation actually works in our country.
I thank god every day that we don’t have the “executive orders” possessed in the USA political system, and we’ve certainly seen the damage this can do in the wrong leaders hands.
I do wish schools would spend a little more time teaching about how our political system, at both local and central level, actually works.
I was brought up by two very well educated and politically informed parents, it seems not many of younger generations do so.
Education and intelligence in this area, along with critical thinking and challenging and research is critical to understanding the “how” and “why” of our entire political system.
On local online sites it’s clear some do not even understand we have “local” elections on Thursday and not a GE!
It’s pretty scary!
How many people do you know who are unhappy about people coming into this Country illegally?
I know loads.
Some of whom I think are in favour of Reform.
But they say very little to anyone.
What will they in particular, vote on Thursday?
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