Zia Yusuf Rows Back On Incendiary Promise To Use 'Lethal Force' On Small Boats

Zia Yusuf has watered down Reform UK’s promise to use “lethal force” on migrants trying to reach Britain via small boats in the English Channel.

The party’s home affairs spokesperson claimed last week: “A Reform government will immediately deploy His Majesty’s Royal Marines with the following orders: DO NOT LET A SINGLE INVADER REACH OUR SHORES.

“If people smugglers resist, our boys will be authorised to use lethal force. We will take our country back.”

Reform’s economy spokesperson Robert Jenrick repeated the claims on Monday, saying letting the Royal Navy endanger lives would solve the small boats crisis “within a matter of days”.

The idea has sparked substantial backlash, with Labour peer Lord Alf Dubs, who fled the Nazis as a child on the Kindertransport rescue effort, calling it a “horrific” suggestion.

Yusuf then appeared to row back on his initial proposal when speaking to broadcasters.

On BBC Breakfast, the politician said lethal force would only be used “in extremely limited circumstances where it is necessary to protect innocent life”.

When presenter Jon Kay pointed out anyone on those boats could also be innocent and will not have been processed into the asylum system yet, Yusuf replied: “That’s not what we’re talking about.”

“This is a humanitarian mission, you’re absolutely right, many of those people will not have been processed. However, our intelligence agencies do sometimes have information about the people on those boats.

“We know convicted terrorists have come across in those boats, we know a man came across in the English Channel and attempted a mass casualty terrorist attack on our soil,” he said.

“In the event there are people on those boats with weapons, with firearms, who think nothing of shedding innocent life, throwing people overboard, we need to be ready to respond. That is diligent. That is ensuring that nobody dies in the Channel.”

He continued: “Almost 200 migrants have died making that journey. I don’t want to put them at risk, and I don’t want to put our armed forces at risk either as they conduct this humanitarian mission.”

He also told Sky News there “are some evil people coming across in these boats”.

“Weapons posture for our royal marines will be commensurate with the intelligence-led threat assessment in regards to each vessel,” Yusuf said. “We will ramp up surveillance, we’re going to make sure we know who is in each boat.”

The divisive proposal comes after Reform leader Nigel Farage announced he would also be suspending the entire asylum system for up to five years if he ever gets into power.

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