Yusuf in clash with Jenrick over Reform deportation policy

Zia Yusuf has publicly disagreed with Reform UK colleague Robert Jenrick over the details of the party's deportation policy.

Treasury spokesman Jenrick had said foreign nationals would not be removed just because they live in social housing, but also if they were not working or earning enough.

But Yusuf, the home affairs spokesman, said Jenrick's answer was "not Reform policy" and the party would look to remove foreign nationals living in social housing "at taxpayer expense" from the UK.

Home Office minister Mike Tapp said Reform were "making it up as they go along", while Conservative MP Chris Philp said it showed Reform was "not a serious party".

It comes after Jenrick was asked about how Reform's deportation policy compared to that of Restore Britain, led by Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe, during an interview with Sky News on Sunday.

Restore has set out criteria for deportation for foreign nationals legally resident in the UK, which includes if they live in social housing.

Reform has proposed abolishing indefinite leave to remain (ILR) - a status that generally allows foreign nationals access to benefits, including social housing - and requiring migrants to reapply for new time-limited visas with tougher rules.

After Jenrick outlined the proposed changes, he was asked if he was saying that a foreign national legally resident in the UK could be deported just because they live in social housing.

Jenrick, the MP for Newark and a former immigration minister, replied: "Well, not exclusively because of that.

"But if they fail to meet our criteria because they're not in work or they're not working as many hours, not earning enough money, then they won't be able to renew their work visa because ILR won't exist, and they will be asked to leave."

He added social housing would be "purely for British citizens".

On Tuesday, Yusuf responded on X to a clip of Jenrick's Sky interview by writing: "Robert's answer is not Reform policy.

"As the person responsible for our deportation plan I want ensure people know where we stand:

"If a foreign national lives in social housing at taxpayer expense, they automatically fail our economic test and will be deported."

Reform's rivals interpreted Yusuf's post as a sign of disagreement between the two.

However, sources close to Jenrick said the position he set out on Sky was aligned with Yusuf's, suggesting the social media clip did not reflect Jenrick's fuller comments during the interview.

For Labour, 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."

Philp, the shadow home secretary, said the post showed Reform was "not a serious party" and the Tories had a deportation policy "backed by proper detail and a real plan".