Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's spokesperson for home affairs speaks at a press conference in London, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026. A Reform UK government would tell the military to use “lethal force” against immigrants arriving on British shores via small boats, Zia Yusuf has claimed.
Reform’s home affairs spokesperson made the controversial remark on X as he escalated his party’s anti-immigration rhetoric.
He said: “Many former and serving Royal Marines have told me how devastated they are to be forced to watch as invaders land by their home of Portsmouth.
“I make them this promise: 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.”
His comments stunned fellow social media users, some of whom called it “beyond contemptible”, while others accused Yusuf of being “out of his depth”.
Zia Yusuf talking about using lethal force to stop the small boats. https://t.co/IJKPf3OEjs
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) October 8, 2026My god, Reform is beyond contemptible.
Wanting Marines to open fire on unarmed civilians. Shameful. I'm sure this will play well with Tommy Robinson’s mouthbreathers, but Reform belong nowhere near government. https://t.co/4SXf8npFp6
Eh - this would be murder and any officer or soldier who carried out those orders would be prosecuted.
You’re out of your depth
The Reform spokesperson has previously claimed his right-wing party would set up a new body called “UK deportation command” if they won the next general election.
He said it would “have just one mission – to track down and detain those in this country illegally”.
Yusuf said: “We will rapidly build detention capacity. No chance of bail, no chance of absconding. Detention will mean deportation.
“We will embark on the most audacious charter flight operation since World War 2, ramping up deportation flights to five departures every single day.”
Yusuf has also faced backlash, including from within his own party, over his controversial social media posts.
He drew attention to the now-Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras, Sagal Abdi-Wali for being born in Somalia in a highly controversial post last month, writing: “Do you understand what’s happening?”
He was subsequently accused of “straightforward racism” by Labour minister Jonathan Reynolds at the time.
Ex-Tory cabinet minister and now Reform member Nadine Dorries told Times Radio: “I think Zia’s got a problem with Twitter and someone needs to take his phone off him.”
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