The Daily T Reform's Zia Yusuf: ‘Ban the burka. It’s un-British’
Mar 27, 2026
Zia Yusuf, Reform's home affairs spokesman known for pushing tougher immigration and border controls. He debates migration rules, visa bans and replacing indefinite leave with renewable work visas. He also argues for leaving certain human rights frameworks, cuts to foreign aid, and a public ban on face coverings to boost security and social cohesion.
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Three Distinct Immigration Crises
- Immigration problems are multi-layered, including small boats, legal-route abuses like student visas, and over a million undocumented people in the UK.
- Zia Yusuf ties the "Boris wave" of ~4 million arrivals to policy shifts that changed composition from EU work migrants to non‑EU dependents costing hundreds of billions long term.
Replace Permanent Residency With Renewable Work Visas
- Abolish Indefinite Leave to Remain and replace it with renewable work visas tied to economic contribution or critical sectors like care.
- Yusuf warns ILR accrual from the "Boris wave" will escalate long‑term fiscal costs unless residency is restricted.
Paid Returns Will Create Perverse Incentives
- Yusuf recounts analysis showing £40,000 incentives to leave are huge multiples of household incomes in countries like Ethiopia, Somalia and Afghanistan.
- He warns such payments will incentivise return-and-reenter cycles rather than durable removals.