Reform will ban foreign nationals, including those with EU settled status, from claiming almost all forms of welfare.
Robert Jenrick revealed a Reform UK government would redesign welfare and save over £50billion a year by scrapping benefits.
The Reform UK Shadow Chancellor said: “Forcing British workers to pay for the benefits of foreigners is not just economically illiterate but plain immoral. People are more than happy to support their neighbours in hard times, but the British taxpayer cannot afford to subsidise everyone on the planet, especially those who have not paid in.
“The public have been crying out for this change for decades. Unlike the two old parties, Reform will deliver a system that’s fair for the British people.”
Responding to Reform UK’s announcement on foreign national access to benefits, a Labour spokesman said: “These plans would mean ripping up the UK’s Withdrawal Agreement with the EU, plunging the UK back into years of Brexit renegotiations, and stripping support from potentially millions of people who have lawfully lived, worked, and paid taxes in Britain for years, and in many cases decades.
“That includes people with settled status who are part of our communities, raising families, working, and contributing to our economy.
“The vast majority of migrants have no access to the welfare system at all under the existing rules. Labour is already tightening the rules further through reforms to earned settlement, including extending the standard pathway to settlement from five years to ten years.
“Alongside this, Labour is reforming our welfare system: narrowing the gap between Universal Credit standard and health rates, restoring face-to-face assessments, and investing £3.5 billion in employment support to end the Conservative system of people being signed off and written off.
“We’re putting work and opportunity at the heart of the system, with further reform to follow the Milburn and Timms reports.”
Helen Whately MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said: “British people want welfare spending under control, abuse stamped out – and dignity for people who are seriously disabled. Serious reforms which take hard work.
“Reform UK have spent months flip-flopping on the two-child cap and now they’ve rushed out a cobbled-together announcement which is already unravelling. Their proposals will drag Britain back into Brexit battles with no certainty or success.
“The Conservatives have a credible plan to save £23billion from welfare, alongside our root-and-branch review of sickness benefits. That’s the serious approach needed to deliver lasting welfare reform.”
FOLLOW BELOW FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY…
Conservatives to launch crackdown on traveller lawbreaking
The Conservatives have today pledged to launch a crackdown on illegal traveller sites and to tackle unauthorised developments, using freedoms gained by leaving the ECHR.
Kemi Badenoch’s party has vowed to ban travellers from returning to encampments indefinitely, and hand power to remove travellers if requested by the landowner.
They also say they will rebuild hard deterrence by making it an offence to trespass with a vehicle after being directed to leave and scrap the ban on removing trespassing travellers if no alternative site is available in the area.
Sir James Cleverly MP, Shadow Communities Secretary, said: “Communities across our country are forced to put up with lawbreaking by a small minority of travellers. In some areas, illegal sites and unauthorised development of legal sites is having a major negative impact on the local population, and residents feel abandoned.
“Police and local councils need our backing to intervene and take robust action without fearing they will be tripped up by activist lawfare. With new freedoms gained by leaving the ECHR, we will end the soft-touch approach favoured by Labour and ensure everyone is treated equally under the law.
“The Conservatives are the only party with a clear and coherent plan to back local communities, end the two-tier treatment of travellers and crack down on criminality.”
Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: “Those who break the rules must be punished. That is a basic principle that must apply equally to all communities.
“Yet a small minority of travellers are getting away with things we would never tolerate among the wider population. It’s time for tough action to get this problem under control.
“Our plan will give the authorities the backing they need to crack down on traveller lawbreaking, putting local residents first and ensuring equality before the law. We are the only Party with the leadership and the viable plan to do that.”
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter