British leader Nigel Farage has advocated for a halt to immigration, arguing that the influx of foreigners diminishes the value of the UK.
The open border policy initiated by Tony Blair has allowed major corporations to cut labor costs, but this has come at a significant cost to social cohesion and the essence of British life.
“Many newcomers over the past two decades don’t embrace our values,” he stated, expressing concerns that with each passing day, British identity feels somewhat diluted. “That’s really the issue,” he added.
“We need to demand a stop to this. The addition of 10 million people in just 20 years has led to cultural fragmentation, a weakening of community ties, and a loss of shared patriotism, thereby lowering the quality of life for many,” he argued.
Outlining his agenda for the Reform British Party this week, Farage mentioned efforts to “freeze” immigration levels in a bid to achieve “zero population growth due to immigration.”
The party operates independently from the EU, meaning that even post-Brexit, the UK is still bound by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which has often been cited to prevent the deportation of illegal immigrants and criminals.
Illegal crossings via the English Channel have surged to unprecedented levels, with over 11,500 individuals landing on British shores from France.
This spike occurs despite Prime Minister Starge’s commitment to “break the gangs” and resolve the immigration issue following last year’s election.
Additionally, a report from The Times indicates that government projections for a decrease in legal immigration have been significantly underestimated. They estimate that starting in 2028, around 525,000 net immigrants could be added annually, equivalent to the population of a medium-sized city like Edinburgh.
This number is nearly 200,000 higher than government expectations. The post-Brexit immigration policy, introduced by Boris Johnson, has resulted in a higher likelihood of non-EU immigrants remaining in the UK compared to EU ones, according to the findings.
Both the Conservative and Labour parties have not managed to curtail large-scale migration, which has boosted the popularity of Farage’s Reform Party, particularly after notable local election gains earlier this month.
Current polls suggest that the Reform Party is supported by 33%, and if this trend continues into the general election, they could secure 365 seats in Parliament, leading to a substantial majority that may pave the way for Farage’s party to take the lead in 2029.
