Highlights
- Yusuf publicly contradicted Jenrick, saying his remarks were "not Reform policy"
- He insisted any foreign national in social housing "will be deported"
- The row broke out during campaigning for the Makerfield by-election on June 18
- Labour and the Conservatives both seized on the dispute, accusing Reform of chaos
TWO of Reform UK's most senior figures have publicly fallen out over the party's deportation policy, after home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf contradicted his colleague Robert Jenrick on social media.
The row began last Sunday (24) when Jenrick, the party's Treasury spokesman and a former immigration minister, was asked on Sky News whether a foreign national could be deported simply for living in social housing.
He replied: "Well, not exclusively because of that." He went on to say that if a foreign national was not working or earning enough, they would not be able to renew their visa and "will be asked to leave."
Yusuf shared a clip of the interview on X Tuesday (26) and said bluntly: "Robert's answer is not Reform policy."
"If a foreign national lives in social housing at taxpayer expense, they automatically fail our economic test and will be deported," he was quoted as saying.
Sources close to Jenrick pushed back, saying his position was in line with Yusuf's and that the clip did not capture the full extent of his comments.
A sensitive moment for party
The public spat comes at a sensitive moment for the party, with campaigning underway for the Makerfield by-election on June 18.
Leader Nigel Farage has pledged to throw "absolutely everything" at the seat. Recent polling puts Labour's Andy Burnham narrowly ahead on 43 per cent, with Reform on 40 per cent and rival right-wing party Restore Britain on 7 per cent.
Restore Britain, founded by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, has set out its own deportation criteria, including removing foreign nationals who live in social housing — a position that has put pressure on Reform from the right.
Reform's broader immigration policy includes abolishing indefinite leave to remain and replacing it with time-limited visas under tougher conditions. Farage has also pledged to revoke the asylum rights of up to 400,000 refugees who entered Britain illegally, and to leave the European Convention on Human Rights.
Jenrick defected to Reform from the Tories in January. Yusuf previously called Jenrick a "2p Farage impersonator" and blamed him for the Afghan data leak scandal when he served as immigration minister.
Labour Home Office minister Mike Tapp said, "Reform don't have a plan and while they squabble amongst themselves, the government is actually bringing down immigration. The Reform rag tag are in chaos, making it up as they go along."
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the row showed Reform was "not a serious party", and that the Conservatives had a deportation policy "backed by proper detail and a real plan."
