'We'll cure addiction to cheap overseas labour'

REFORM UK has warned that cheap legal immigration is an addictive drug being "pushed on every street corner" by both Labour and the Conservatives.

- Christian Calgie

In an incendiary campaign intervention yesterday, Reform UK leader Richard Tice pledged a new "cure to this addiction", outlining how his party would crack down on workers from overseas.

Mr Tice said he would implement an "employer immigration tax". The hike in companies' national insurance contributions would deter big firms from relying on mass immigration and suppressing domestic wage growth.

At a press conference in Central London, Mr Tice argued that there is currently "no cost to big business from employing cheap, low-skilled overseas labour". He said: "There's no cost for health. There's no cost for transport. The list goes on.

"So they're getting away without paying for overseas labour, and that cost is borne by the British taxpayer."

Mr Tice said businesses with more than five employees would have to pay 20% NI contributions for each member of staff without a British passport, up from the current 13.8%.

Foreign health and care workers, vital to the NHS, would be exempt from the tax.

Reform UK wants to give companies a big incentive to train local workers but it also claimed the policy would raise up to £20billion in one electoral cycle from those that insist on retaining overseas staff.

He said that while Reform UK is typically a low-tax party, this policy is aimed at increasing fairness in the labour market.