Reform pledges to create ‘Turkish barber tip line’ in bid to crack down on illegal workers
Reform UK has announced plans for a so-called "Turkish barber tip line", encouraging the public to report businesses suspected of employing illegal migrant workers, as part of a wider crackdown on illegal working practices. The policy, unveiled by home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf, would require police and trading standards to investigate credible tips and comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Reform's finances, with Labour accusing the party of using the announcement to distract from a "catalogue of scandals" surrounding Nigel Farage.
Under the plans, a Reform government would set up a central prosecution fund via the Home Office, with successful tips leading to financial rewards funded from recovered penalties, though exact amounts remain undecided. Employers would face fines of 10 per cent of global revenue and possible jail terms even if unaware of a worker's immigration status, compared with current penalties of up to £60,000 per illegal worker. Yusuf also proposed making it illegal to use a vehicle for business without a full British licence, dubbed the "Deliveroo law", which excludes foreign lorry drivers; Deliveroo said it already leads the industry in tackling illegal working by organised criminals.
- Reform UK proposes public tip line to report illegal migrant workers
- Employers could face 10% global revenue fines, jail time
- Labour says announcement distracts from Reform's financial scandals
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Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has put forward a policy allowing members of the public to report businesses they suspect of employing illegal migrant workers, with police and trading standards expected to look into credible tips. The idea is to toughen enforcement against firms that use undocumented labour, backed by much larger fines and jail terms than currently exist.
The plan would also introduce a rule barring anyone without a full British driving licence from using a vehicle for business purposes, aimed at delivery and courier work, though it would not apply to foreign lorry drivers. Businesses such as Deliveroo have said they already work to prevent illegal working within their operations.
The announcement comes as Reform faces questions over its own finances, and Labour has suggested the timing is intended to shift attention away from other controversies involving the party and Farage. The policy sits within the wider, ongoing debate in Britain over immigration enforcement and how illegal working should be tackled.