The UK Conservative Party has announced a sweeping deportation plan to remove 750,000 illegal immigrants within five years, taking inspiration from former US President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. The proposal, unveiled as the party’s annual conference opened in Manchester, marks one of the most hardline approaches to border control in modern British politics.
Under the Conservative deportation plan, individuals who enter the UK illegally would be permanently banned from claiming asylum. Those whose claims are rejected would no longer have the right to appeal in court. Instead, appeals would be handled internally by Home Office officials.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said migrants “should go back to where they came from” or to a safe third country willing to receive them. The government’s immigration enforcement arm would be rebranded as a “Removals Force” with its budget doubled—funded by closing asylum hotels—to an additional £820 million per year.
The force would be given a mandate to remove 150,000 people annually, including those living illegally in the UK and foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes. This represents a fivefold increase over the 35,000 removals conducted last year.
Ban on Legal Challenges and End to Legal Aid
The Conservative proposal would abolish the Immigration Tribunal, transferring appeals from judges to a Home Office panel. The party argues that legal representation would no longer be necessary, saying claims would be “fairly assessed” by officials, eliminating “the need for lawyers.”
Legal aid for immigration cases would be scrapped, and asylum claims would be restricted only to individuals directly persecuted by their governments—excluding those fleeing wars, religious discrimination, or anti-LGBTQ laws.
New Border Powers and Visa Threats
The Conservatives plan to expand detention facilities to hold up to 2,000 migrants and give police authority to run biometric and facial recognition checks without prior notice. Countries refusing to accept deportees could face cuts in UK aid or visa restrictions, echoing Trump-era tactics.
Speaking on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Badenoch reiterated: “They should go back to where they should do, or another country. But they should not be here.” She refused to specify destination countries, calling the question “irrelevant.”
ECHR Exit Deepens Political Divide
The deportation plan follows the Conservatives’ proposal to withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which they argue obstructs deportations. The move sets up a clear divide with the Labour government, which has rejected leaving the treaty but pledged to tighten border control and small-boat policies.
Labour has introduced a “one in, one out” refugee arrangement with France and plans to delay permanent settlement for asylum seekers.
Badenoch defended the Conservatives’ stance as “legally sound,” citing analysis by former justice minister Lord Wolfson. She argued her party’s policy was “more credible” than Reform UK’s, which has pledged to deport 600,000 migrants within five years.
The proposed crackdown aims to restore public confidence in the Conservatives ahead of the next election, as Badenoch faces mounting pressure from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK and record-low polling numbers.
