Reform would pay Taliban to take back migrants, says Zia Yusuf

REFORM UK would consider paying the Taliban to take back migrants who entered Britain illegally, former party chairman Zia Yusuf has said.

Yusuf told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he believed it was “quite reasonable” for the UK government to offer money to Afghanistan’s regime as part of a returns deal.

He said: “Well, we have a £2bn budget to offer countries… It's not a drop in the ocean to Afghanistan, certainly not a drop in the ocean for Eritrea, the two countries that are top of the list of boat crossings.”

He added: “This country already gives £151m a year to Afghanistan in the form of foreign aid. I think it's quite reasonable.”

The comments come as Nigel Farage prepares to set out Reform’s plan on illegal migration, including leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, scrapping the Human Rights Act and introducing a British Bill of Rights.

The party would also deport those arriving by small boats to their country of origin or third countries.

Housing minister Matthew Pennycook criticised Reform’s plans, calling them “put together on the back of a fag packet” in an interview with Sky News.