Nigel Farage speech RECAP: Reform will lock up women and girls in mass deportation plan

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This live blog on Nigel Farage's speech has now come to an end - but you can catch up on all our coverage and separate pieces above.

Keir Starmer hits back against Nigel Farage

Keir Starmer has hit back at Nigel Farage after the Reform UK leader launched major plans for mass deportations of migrants.

The Prime Minister posted four images of people being deported, with a single sentence: "If you come to this country illegally, you will face detention and return."

Read the full piece here.

'7 dictator-esque Nigel Farage plans'

The Mirror's Mikey Smith has taken a look at some of the standout moments from Nigel Farage's speech.

You can read his full piece here: 7 dictator-esque Nigel Farage plans backing torture, jailing kids and paying jihadis

'I was in the room as Nigel Farage unveiled Reform's asylum plans'

The Mirror's Dave Burke was in the room for Nigel Farage's press conference.

"Keir Starmer has been having a hard time of it recently on asylum, so naturally the Reform leader wants to make hay while the sun shines," Dave writes. "He's spent the summer trying to convince everyone that Britain is "lawless", and linking it to immigration and asylum. He's right that the current system isn't working - even the human rights groups that he loathes will agree with that.

"So a week before Parliament returns, he was keen to be on the front foot. His end of summer party - to which the party faithful and a selection of journalists were invited - was held in a big hangar at Oxford Airport."

Read Dave's full piece here.

'Turning a blind eye to torture is not an option'

Kolbassia Haoussou, Director of Survivor Leadership and Influencing at Freedom from Torture, said: “This is not who we are as a country. Here in the UK, public support for upholding the torture ban has grown significantly in recent years.

"People know that turning a blind eye is just not an option. Men, women and children are coming to the UK looking for safety. They are fleeing the unimaginable horrors of torture in places like Afghanistan, Sudan and Iran. And they desperately need our protection.

“At Freedom from Torture, we see every day the human cost of torture: how it destroys lives and tears at the fabric of societies. The UN Convention Against Torture is a promise to defend our shared right to live a life free from torture.

"For centuries, the UK has been a leading voice against torture, helping to shape the very international laws that Reform proposes we destroy. These laws were created in the aftermath of the Second World War to protect us all. If Britain were to abandon this legacy it would hand repressive regimes around the world a gift and undermine one of humanity’s clearest moral lines. We must not stay silent.”

'We need to turn our back on the hate pushed by Farage and the far-right'

Steve Smith, chief executive of Care4Calais, has said Mr Farage "only offers division" as he hit out at Refom UK's plans to rip up human rights protections.

He said: “As a human being, one might presume that human rights are a good thing - that is of course unless you are a politician like Nigel Farage who is only interested in protecting the rights of the rich to accumulate more wealth.

“For Farage, people seeking sanctuary are scapegoats to be used to avoid the working class properly analysing the failure of consecutive governments to invest in communities, and improve living standards. He offers no solutions, just more blame.

“The majority of people don’t want to scrap protections against torture, modern slavery and persecution. They don’t want to see women and children placed in detention centres, denied their rights to safety. They want to live in a country where there is hope that the future will be better than the current. Where community, and supporting each other, is at its core. Farage doesn’t offer this, he only offers division.

“We don’t need to turn our back on people fleeing war and persecution to make our country fairer, we need to turn our back on the hate pushed by Farage and the far-right.”

'Fearmonger Farage's immigration plan is a manifesto of hate'

The Mirror's columnist Darren Lewis has branded Nigel Farage's migration plan a "manifesto of hate".

Darren writes: "He is a big tech version of Enoch Powell. How the hell did we get to a place where we are broadcasting the xenophobia of vicious extremists as legitimate political discourse?

"This is a privileged millionaire whose stated aim is to lock up children whose crime would be a request to live in safety. Let that sink in. He and his risible supporting cast want to continue characterising them, their mothers and their fathers as one homogenous mass to get his followers to see them one way: as criminals, rapists and terrorists."

Read Darren's full piece here.

Refugee Council slams 'toxic' speech

The Refugee Council has slammed Mr Farage's "toxic" speech and called for the asylum applications process to be improved so people aren't stuck in hotels.

Enver Solomon, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, said: “Toxic narratives are fuelling fear and division across our country and real public concerns are being exploited for political gain. This rhetoric doesn’t make our streets safer - it simply dehumanises people who have fled war and persecution, many of whom are themselves survivors of violence.

“This isn't who we are as a country. Our frontline teams work every day with men, women and children seeking to rebuild their lives in safety. A number of these stood alongside our troops in Afghanistan or fled terror in Sudan.

“After the horrors of World War II, Britain and its allies helped establish the principle that refugees deserve a fair chance to seek asylum. That legacy must be protected.

“There’s a better way. Increasing the speed and accuracy with which we process asylum applications would mean we no longer have thousands of people stuck in hotels waiting for their cases to be heard. Instead, those found to be refugees could move into proper housing, start work or training, and begin contributing to their communities, while those with no right to stay can be returned with dignity. This is common-sense reform that is fair, compassionate and reflects the best of Britain.”

Downing Street responds to Farage plans

Keir Starmer's spokesman has accused Reform of serving up the same botched asylum strategy as the Tories that left the system in chaos.

The spokesman told reporters the plans are “simply a repeat of policies pursued in previous years that left the asylum system paralysed, that left no one being returned, but left 400 hotels being opend at the cost of £9million a day to the taxpayer.

"We won't allow a repeat of that. That's why we're focused on ramping up returns."

No10 also said anyone proposing renegotiating the Good Friday Agreement - which protects peace in Northern Ireland - is “not serious”.

The Mirror takes a look at Farage's plans - and why they won't work

Nigel Farage has unveiled draconian proposals for mass deportations of asylum seekers - with plans to lock up women and children.

The Reform UK leader was accused of having fantasy plans with little detail provided on the practicality of deportation flights or on the costings of the proposals. And his inflammatory language was branded "reprehensible" after he indicated that failed migrants being tortured or murdered after being deported was a price worth paying to bring numbers down.

Mr Farage indicated that some 600,000 asylum seekers could be deported in the first parliament of a Reform UK government. And he pledged to scale up detention capacity for asylum seekers to 24,000. But when asked about the details of the plans, the Clacton MP gave flippant answers - simply saying his costs are accurate because his colleague is "really good at maths".

The Mirror takes a look at his plans - as many raise concerns that they won't work. Read the ful story here.

Farage branded 'reprehensible' after speech

Green Party MP Ellie Chowns said: “More inflammatory rhetoric from Farage at a sensitive time in many communities. This dangerous toxic bluster is clearly aimed at whipping up anger, hatred and even disorder. The way he talks about asylum seekers - our fellow global citizens - is reprehensible.

“The policy proposals themselves are unworkable. They rely on ripping up swathes of international law and would likely face many legal obstacles in the UK courts that could use British common law to block such cruelty.

“Iran, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Sudan and Syria feature in the top ten countries for asylum seekers in the UK - all places where people face oppression, conflict, extreme poverty or famine.

“This is not who we are as a nation. The vast majority of the British public are willing to show compassion towards those fleeing the terrible situations they leave behind.”

​Are you shocked by Farage's plans? 

Are you shocked by Farage's plans? Take The Mirror's poll.

'Reform Taliban tribute plan'

Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper branded the party's proposal to send money to the Taliban to take back Afghan migrants “Reform's Taliban tribute plan".

She said: “Reform's Taliban tribute plan would send British taxpayers' cash to fund their oppressive regime, fuelling the persecution of Afghan women and children and betraying our brave Armed Forces who sacrificed so much fighting the Taliban. Clearly British values mean nothing to Farage and his band of plastic patriots.”

Farage accused of 'stoking fear'

The Reform leader has been accused of "stoking fears over immigration" and using Donald Trump's "authoritarian playbook"

Naomi Smith, chief executive of Best for Britain said: “Stoking fears over immigration as a way to remove our most basic rights is right out of the authoritarian playbook and has been used by Donald Trump to deploy masked men on the streets of the US who are abducting and imprisoning American citizens without trial.

“We cannot allow the same to happen here. Rights to fair trial, free elections and freedom of expression are all protected by the Human Rights Act and ECHR, and are not something we can trust Nigel Farage to rewrite.”

Farage brands church leaders 'out of touch'

The Mirror's Dave Burke asked Mr Farage how he will feel if Christian leaders don't agree with his plans - after the Reform UK leader previously said “Judeo-Christian values” were at the root of “everything” in Britain. Dave pointed out that Church leaders were fiercely against the Tories' Rwanda plan.

A tetchy Mr Farage says quite a few of the Christian leaders over the last decades have been "out of touch".

Farage dodges question on costings

Mr Farage is challenged on the costings of his plans. Reform UK says the plan would cost £10billion over five years. Meanwhile a near identical plan from his ex-colleague Rupert Lowe was costed at £47.5billion.

Asked how the price tags could be so different, the Reform UK leader: "Because Zia is really good at maths."

Afghan interpreters will get exemption

Nigel Farage says there will be exemptions for Afghan interpreters from deportations. Tens of thousands of Afghans served as interpreters, fixers and local guides to British and US forces in fighting against the Taliban.

This is despite him suggesting he would deport people with genuine asylum claims.

Zia Yusuf says serious asylum claims can only be taken seriously if the UK has a "secure border".

Farage suggests election will be held sooner than four years away

Nigel Farage suggests there will be a general election called sooner than four years away.

"Four years to the next election," he says. "Do you really think so?"

Uniformed officers to disappear people on streets

The Mirror's Mikey Smith picks up on Mr Farage's comment about uniformed officers. He says: 'Nigel Farage argues sending uniformed officers from town to town, disappearing people off the streets is “what normal countries do”'

It came after Mr Farage said: "Will Border Force be seeking out people who are here illegally, possibly many of them working in the criminal economy? Yes, it's what normal countries do all over the world. What sane country would allow undocumented young males to break into its country, to put them up in hotels, they even get dental care? How about that? Most people can't get an NHS dentist. This is not what normal countries do."

Nigel Farage argues sending uniformed officers from town to town, disappearing people off the streets is “what normal countries do”

— Mikey Smith (@mikeysmith) August 26, 2025

Mr Farage confirms women and children will be locked up

Mr Farage confirms women and children will be detained on arrival to the UK.

Asked if they will be, he said: "Yes, women and children, everybody on arrival will be detained."

Nigel Farage confirms he plans to lock up children.

— Mikey Smith (@mikeysmith) August 26, 2025

Farage has no answer to torture and killing question

Mr Farage is asked about the risk of deporting migrants to places where they could face imprisonment, torture or even death.

Asked if it bothers him, the Reform UK leader pivots from the question and says he is concerned about women and girls being "far less safe" in the UK. "What really bothers me is what is happening on the streets of our country," he says.

He later adds that he can't be "responsible for all the sins that take place around the world".

Royal Air Force aircraft would be put on standby

Zia Yusuf said charter flights will be expanded to five departures a day to deport migrants. He said the Royal Air Forces will be forced to keep a voyager aircraft on standby as a spare to deport people.

He says capacity to detain migrants before deportation will be expanded to 24,000 places.

Mr Farage indicated that some 600,000 asylum seekers could be deported in the first parliament of a Reform UK government.

The Mirror's Dave Burke is in the room

The Mirror's Dave Burke is in the room where Mr Farage is giving a speech.

The Reform UK leader is speaking in front of a giant Great Britain flag, where he has said the country is in "total despair" over immigration and claims there's a "genuine threat to public order".

I'm at Nigel Farage's press conference where he starts saying the country is in 'total despair' over immigration and claims there's a 'genuine threat to public order' pic.twitter.com/XqofSkcyWh

— Dave Burke (@DaveBurke12) August 26, 2025

Zia Yusuf sets out five-year Reform UK plan

Senior Reform UK figure Zia Yusuf has now come to the stage, where he has said “there is little doubt that the United Kingdom is being invaded”.

He says the situation is a “national emergency” as he sets out plans for a five-year plan called ‘Operation Restoring Justice’ if Reform gets into power.

He says the party would set up a new deportation command and will pass the Illegal Migration (Mass Deportation) Bill to stop what he calls “activist lawyers” stopping deportations.

Farage claims small boats crisis would end within days under a Reform government

Mr Farage demands the Human Rights Act be repealed and will disapply the 1951 Refugee Convention.

He says all illegal migrants will be detained "immediately".

"The only way we will stop the boats is by detaining and deporting absolutely anyone that comes via that route. If we do that, the boats will stop coming in days."

Nigel Farage describes small boats crisis as 'invasion'

Nigel Farage has opened his speech by describing the small boats crisis as an "invasion".

He said young men are "illegally breaking into our country", adding: "What other word could possible descibe what has been going on? It is an invasion."

Reform UK wants UK 'Alligator Alcatraz'

Senior Reform UK figure Zia Yusuf pointed to the new Florida detention centre dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" which was designed to hold 3,000 people and built in eight days.

He told BBC Breakfast Reform UK's plans were for a "temporary programme" and that anyone detained in those centres will be "gone at the end of Nigel's (Farage) first term" as prime minister.

Mr Yusuf said "phase one" would focus on adults and that unaccompanied children would be sent back "probably ... towards the latter half of that five years".

Farage wants to tear up human rights laws

Mr Farage has pledged to leave the European Convention on Human Rights and scrap the Human Rights Act as part of his plans to tackle illegal migration.

Writing for The Telegraph, he described international treaties governing human rights law as "malign influences" which had been "allowed to frustrate deportations". He wants to replace the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights, which would only apply to British citizens and those who have a legal right to live in the UK.

It means vulnerable people who have fled war-torn countries and come to the UK via small boat or other unathourised route would have no right to claim asylum.

Reform UK's plan is 'for the birds'

Reform UK's plans to tackle illegal migration do not sound feasible, a minister has said.

"(It) strikes me as something put together on the back of a fag packet," Matthew Pennycook told Sky News. He said Reform UK's idea of securing returns agreements with countries like Afghanistan, Iran and Eritrea is "for the birds".

"And what happens if returns agreements are not secured with Eritrea or Sudan? Where do the planes go? What does Reform think is going to happen in the case of Iran, a country that we're currently sanctioning, they're just going to agree a returns agreement?

"So we will get on with the practical, hard-headed, unglamorous, step-by-step actions we're taking to bear down on this problem, rather than the gimmicks being put forward by Reform and other parties."

He added of Reform UK's plans to strike returns agreements: "I don't think they sound feasible. So Reform can stoke anger. We will get on with the job of putting in place the necessary practical measures that will see net migration come down over this parliament and the gangs and the boat problem tackled."

Labour hits out at 'fantasy solutions'

Home Office minister Angela Eagle has said both Reform and the Tories offered nothing more than “fantasy solutions” to the crisis.

“These are back-of-the-fag-packet plans without the substance on delivery,” she told the Guardian.