New Tory immigration plan is a ‘desperate’ copy and paste job, says Reform UK chairman

THE new Tory policies on immigration are a “desperate” attempt to gain credibility, according to Reform UK chairman Dr David Bull.

He told the Camilla Tominey Show on GB News: “This is a desperate, large ditch attempt to have some sort of credibility and semblance of actually being able to do something. In fact, when I read that policy last night, my mouth dropped open, because it’s pretty much a copy and paste of the policy that we launched some month or so ago, Operation Restoring Justice.

“I think you were at that launch, and pretty much they are doing exactly what we said. And this is very much like a copy and paste. They’ve literally taken every single word. And when Chris Philip talks this morning about the fact that we put it together on the back of a fag packet, I think that’s pretty rich coming from the Conservative Party who did nothing about our porous borders over 14 years.”

He added: “if you look at the latest Merlin poll, the voters don’t actually trust the Tories to get anything done. And there’s a very good reason for that, isn’t it. They’re all talk, nothing ever happens. When you look at the latest polling, this is this morning. We’ve gone up to 34 which is up two points. The Conservatives and Labour both down.

“We’re polling almost as much as Labour and the Tories combined and so the public is saying actually, we want to take back control of our borders. We want someone to actually sort out this unholy mess, and that the people to do that will be reform UK.”

Dr David Bull GB News.jpg

Asked if Reform might have to enter into a pact with the Conservatives to depose Labour, he said: “No, the point is, we believe that we can win and get an outright majority, and that is what the polling is showing us.

“But what I was going to say was, when you look at those polls, actually, it looks like the Tories will be pretty much wiped out. They would be reduced to about 41 seats. Labour would have its worst results since 1931. You don’t set out in a race to lose the race.

“Look, when you have a general election approaching, and remember, it could be some time away, what we are doing is setting out our store. We will have detailed and costed policies by the general election. And we are saying to the British public, look, which do you want? Do you want the Tories? Do you want Labour? Or do you want us?

“I’m telling you, around the country, GB News viewers will be sitting at home thinking, I’ve had enough of all of this, and it’s time to give another party a chance, and that party is ours.”

Bull said he believed the Prime Minister has been inciting hatred towards Nigel Farage: “Yes, I think he is actually. He said that Nigel was not patriotic. I’ve worked with Nigel well, so I know there is no one more patriotic than Nigel Farage in this country.

“Also, he then claimed that we were a party of racism. Now that is inciting violence, as far as I can see. And the fact is that revenge is a dish best served cold.

“So you can see, Labour has fallen by five points since he made those comments, we’ve put on another 8,000 members thanks to the Prime Minister. I think the Prime Minister should do the decent thing, call a general election and see if the public back him.”

Asked if the police should investigate, he said: “I think politicians need to be much more careful about the language they use. I think it is very easy to sit there and throw insults and abuse at various politicians of different colours and different parties.

“But there are ramifications to all of that, and actually, the safety and security of all members of Parliament is paramount, because one of the biggest problems we have is getting people to actually put their head above the parapet and say they actually want to stand and become a Member of Parliament.

“If we don’t allow that to happen in a safe and secure way, we will not get the best and the brightest going into Parliament, and that would be a travesty for this country. Politicians on all sides need to be very careful. Remember, play the ball and not the man.”