The party's home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf says it would be the "largest military operation in the English Channel since World War Two”.

Reform UK has said it would launch the "the largest military operation in the English Channel since World War Two" to tackle small boat arrivals, if it forms the next government. Under plans set to be announced at a news conference later, the Royal Navy would intercept migrant boats in the Channel and return them to France or Belgium. When it was put to the party that the UK could not return migrants without French agreement, home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf claimed it would be possible. Andy Burnham has pledged to be "relentless" on tackling small boat crossings, and stressed the UK needs to build a system that offers asylum seekers "safe routes". More than 2,000 migrants have arrived in the UK on small boats since Burnham became prime minister, and 326 people crossed the English Channel on Saturday. Home Office figures show crossings so far this year are down around 43% compared to the same period in 2025. Reform's plan called "operation fortress" has been endorsed by "former senior members of our armed forces", Yusuf told BBC Radio 4 Today programme. It would see Royal Navy vessels intercept all migrant boats in the Channel as part of a humanitarian response. Yusuf described the scheme as "humanitarian missions" and insisted it would be compatible with rules under the European Convention on Human Rights as Article 2 protects the right to life.