Reform UK Shadow Home Secretary Zia Yusuf has announced a new package of measures designed to crack down on illegal working, including tough new criminal penalties for company directors and delivery platforms.
Speaking at a press conference in London today, Yusuf said Britain had become a “soft-touch” country for illegal workers, with the political establishment having “betrayed British workers” for decades.
“The Tories and Labour made Britain one of the softest-touch countries on earth for illegal workers”, he said. “They created an ecosystem in which illegal migrants are funnelled directly into our national economy, driving down wages and funding the despicable people-smuggling gangs operating across the Channel.”
The centrepiece of the policy is the proposed “Deliveroo Law”, which would hold company directors personally and criminally liable for systemic illegal working within their businesses.
Under the plans, companies that build up serious immigration breaches or cannot demonstrate compliant right-to-work checks could see their executives face up to five years in prison. “All platforms operating in Britain will be legally required to designate a UK accountable person,” Yusuf said. “Overseas directors will not evade justice.”
Major firms found to be exploiting illegal labour would also face fines worth 10% of their annual worldwide turnover.
Yusuf pointed to the gig economy as a particular concern. “In our major cities, it’s common knowledge that illegal migrants housed and fed in hotels and HMOs, at immense expense to the British taxpayer, are moonlighting for gig-economy platforms”, he said.
“Platforms allow individuals to rent out and trade accounts on social media with zero meaningful oversight. Corporations turn a blind eye while harvesting huge financial returns.”
Reform UK would also target people who rent delivery accounts to illegal workers. Those who lease their credentials to illegal migrants would face visa revocation, fines backed by asset seizure and jail sentences.
The party additionally plans to require anyone using a vehicle for commercial delivery to hold a full British driving licence, ending what Yusuf called the “widespread misuse of provisional learner licences”.
The package also includes measures aimed at high-street businesses. Reform UK would introduce national licensing for vape shops, capped at 1,000 premises and allocated to local authorities. Unlicensed premises would be closed and their assets seized.
Multi-agency enforcement teams combining police, trading standards and immigration enforcement would be given powers to carry out arrests and serve “immediate deportation notices”.
“Under Reform UK, Britain will no longer be a soft touch,” Yusuf said. “We will establish the toughest penalties anywhere in the world to end illegal working and stand up for British workers.”
Watch the full press conference here.
Speaking at a press conference in London today, Yusuf said Britain had become a “soft-touch” country for illegal workers, with the political establishment having “betrayed British workers” for decades.
“The Tories and Labour made Britain one of the softest-touch countries on earth for illegal workers”, he said. “They created an ecosystem in which illegal migrants are funnelled directly into our national economy, driving down wages and funding the despicable people-smuggling gangs operating across the Channel.”
The centrepiece of the policy is the proposed “Deliveroo Law”, which would hold company directors personally and criminally liable for systemic illegal working within their businesses.
Under the plans, companies that build up serious immigration breaches or cannot demonstrate compliant right-to-work checks could see their executives face up to five years in prison. “All platforms operating in Britain will be legally required to designate a UK accountable person,” Yusuf said. “Overseas directors will not evade justice.”
Major firms found to be exploiting illegal labour would also face fines worth 10% of their annual worldwide turnover.
Yusuf pointed to the gig economy as a particular concern. “In our major cities, it’s common knowledge that illegal migrants housed and fed in hotels and HMOs, at immense expense to the British taxpayer, are moonlighting for gig-economy platforms”, he said.
“Platforms allow individuals to rent out and trade accounts on social media with zero meaningful oversight. Corporations turn a blind eye while harvesting huge financial returns.”
Reform UK would also target people who rent delivery accounts to illegal workers. Those who lease their credentials to illegal migrants would face visa revocation, fines backed by asset seizure and jail sentences.
The party additionally plans to require anyone using a vehicle for commercial delivery to hold a full British driving licence, ending what Yusuf called the “widespread misuse of provisional learner licences”.
The package also includes measures aimed at high-street businesses. Reform UK would introduce national licensing for vape shops, capped at 1,000 premises and allocated to local authorities. Unlicensed premises would be closed and their assets seized.
Multi-agency enforcement teams combining police, trading standards and immigration enforcement would be given powers to carry out arrests and serve “immediate deportation notices”.
“Under Reform UK, Britain will no longer be a soft touch,” Yusuf said. “We will establish the toughest penalties anywhere in the world to end illegal working and stand up for British workers.”
Watch the full press conference here.
