Today's news
- Net migration falls 20% in latest data, down from record high of 906,000
- But spending on asylum jumps to highest ever level of £5.38bn
- Ali Fortescue: These figures pose difficult questions for government
- Labour say they've taken deportations to five-year high
- Farage admits Reform fielded 'wholly unsuited' candidates, but defends MP who was previously jailed
- Beth Rigby: Farage's megaphone may be about to get bigger
Deportations of those 'with no right to be here' reach highest level in five years
We've just heard from the home secretary about today's migration statistics and what the government's doing to bring the figures down.
The data showed net migration at an estimated 728,000 in the year to June, down on what was a record 906,000 the year before.
Yvette Cooper says since Labour came to power, enforced returns of foreign offenders and failed asylum seekers have hit their highest level in five years - up 30% on the same period in 2023.
Among those removed are people found guilty of serious offences like murder and rape.
Asylum system is 'broken'
The government is also speeding up decision-making on who asylum claims following massive reductions in the number of calls being made over the past year.
Ms Cooper said: "Migration has always been an important part of UK history and our economy, but the system needs to be properly managed and controlled."
She described the asylum system as "broken", but said Labour had already managed to take deportations of people "with no right to be here" to their highest level in years.
Farage: Reform fielded election candidates that 'were wholly unsuited for public office'
Following his news conference, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage took questions from broadcasters.
Headmitted his party fielded "a couple of dozen candidates" at the election who "were wholly unsuited for public office in every way".
He described that as "a teething problem" of a small party, but they are now vetting candidates ahead of the local elections in May.
Mr Farage was then asked about one of his MPs, James McMurdock, who it's emerged was jailed 18 years ago for repeatedly kicking his girlfriend, having not disclosed it during the election.
The Reform UK leader said the MP "did something really awful a long time ago" and "it's not something he's proud of in any way".
"But, you know, what's done is done. We have the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. We have Christian forgiveness."
'You've had your fun'
Mr Farage went on to say Mr McMurdock "is an example of a young person making some very big mistakes in life... who now has turned himself around".
Pushed on the fact Mr McMurdock lied during the election, Mr Farage said he was not vetted, and then declared: "You can have your fun at Sky News. We've got 100,000 members.
"I've got a million followers on TikTok. Dame Andrew Jenkyns just joined us. She's our candidate for Greater Lincolnshire.
"You've had your fun. I'm off for lunch. Thank you."
He then walked off.
Farage unveils new slogan - that was first used by the Tories
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage spent much of his news conference being hugely critical of the Conservative Party - and vowing to replace them as the main opposition to Labour.
As he slated the party's record, he was standing in front of a branded backdrop with the slogan: "Family, Community, Country."
But as it turns out - that was a slogan first used by the former Conservative prime minister, David Cameron.
In his speech to the Conservative Party conference in 2009, the then opposition leader declared: "This is my DNA: family, community, country.
"That is what made me. These are the things I care about."
Reform has momentum - and Farage's megaphone may be about to get bigger
Nigel Farage was always going to pounce on today's net migration figures, given it's a theme "he has campaigned on so effectively", says political editor Beth Rigby.
Beth notes that "in the three years running up to Brexit when there was freedom of movement, net migration over three years was about 830,000" and in the year to June 2023 alone, it's 900,000.
"A historic high," she says, and for Farage it's why the country "will not trust the Tories again".
A friend in need?
Today saw him "launching his pitch to becoming the main opposition to Labour" ahead of the 2029 general election.
"He has some way to go", given Reform has just five MPs, but "momentum" that seem to be with them to a degree.
They now have more than 100,000 signed up party members, and "they are picking up lots of council seats".
Those national council elections in England in May "are a big moment".
And with the arrival of Trump, Beth thinks Farage will be hoping for a "bigger megaphone" than he's ever had - and will likely lean on the next US president and his "friend" Elon Musk for help.
UK politics is 'realigning' in the eyes of voters, Farage tells Sky News
Next to ask a question of Nigel Farage is our political editor Beth Rigby, and she puts to him that in spite of his criticism of Labour, the Starmer government doesn't have a record to stand on yet.
The Reform UK leader insists the administration "are failing spectacularly", including on energy and migration.
He compares the pledge to "smash the gangs" to previous efforts to combat drug crime, saying: "It failed on that, it will fail on tackling migration."
"Frankly, I think a very, very large number of people that voted Labour at the last election did so because they weren't the Tories, [and] didn't really know the Reform brand," he says.
Going forward, he thinks there is a broad "realigning of how voters view the old left-right spectrum".
Farage cites 'dynamic Lib Dem leader' as inspiration in quest for power
Nigel Farage takes a question from the BBC about how he plans to meet his previously stated ambition to win the 2029 general election.
Firstly, he confidently states Reform is "going to replace the Conservatives as the main opposition to Labour" by that time.
He says the UK is at a moment "where epochal political change can happen".
He then cites a perhaps unlikely point of inspiration in his quest for power - the former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown.
'That's the model we're following'
"He was that dynamic leader who understood until you've won a significant number of district council and county council seats, you weren't even in the race to win parliamentary election seats.
"That was the model he built during the 1990s that finally got them into coalition government in 2010.
"That's the model we're following."
Reform won two council seats in Kent last week - one on the county council and won on Dartford Borough Council.
Former Tory minister joins Reform UK
Nigel Farage has just announced former government minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns is joining Reform UK.
She has been selected to stand as the party's candidate for the newly created post of mayor of Greater Lincolnshire.
Dame Andrea was elected to parliament in 2015, famously defeating the sitting shadow chancellor Ed Balls to take his seat of Morley and Outwood.
She served as an education minister in the period after Boris Johnson resigned as the leadership contest was under way, and left government after the demise of Liz Truss.
She lost her seat at the general election in July - despite having a photo of her with Mr Farage on her election leaflets.
UK 'at crisis point'
Taking to the stage, she says she is "joining the party of the brave", and says "our once great country is at a crisis point".
She criticises Labour for agreeing to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, the hike in inheritance tax for farmers, and the cut to the winter fuel allowance.
Leaving the Tory party was "not an easy decision", she says, but adds that "the ship is sinking, and perhaps sadly, beyond salvage".
Farage criticises Tories and Labour for 'horrendous' net migration figures
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage opens by criticising the "horrendous" figures on net migration to the UK.
Net migration to the UK fell by 20% in a year - from 906,000 in the year to June 2023 to 728,000 in the year to June 2024.
But he says those figures are still too high, and doesn't think the Tories will be "forgiven" in the coming years.
He also criticises Labour for the news that the cost of the asylum system rose to £5.38bn - an increase of 36%, and that doesn't include the measures being taken in the English Channel to stop small boat crossings.
Mr Farage then criticises government policies on the winter fuel allowance and inheritance tax, before boasting about his TikTok page and relationships with Donald Trump and "new friend" Elon Musk.
Reform UK now has 'in excess of 100,000 members', party chair says
The chairman of Reform UK, Zia Yusuf, speaks first at the party's news conference.
He announces Reform has reached "in excess of 100,000 fully paid-up members" - up from 15,000 a year ago.
By comparison, there were thought to be around 132,000 Tory members eligible to vote in the party's leadership election earlier this month - a significant drop on previous contests.
Reform wants cuts to migration and taxes
Mr Yusuf went on to say Britons "see in Reform the only party that is willing to stand up for British people, defend and celebrate British values, and never compromise on the principle that the interests of the British people come first".
That means "ending the population explosion", and also through measures like cutting taxes.
He blames the Tories for the rapid increase in net migration, and claims it will accelerate under Labour.
Watch live: Farage to make 'major announcements'
Nigel Farage is due to speak at a Reform UK news conference, where "major announcements" are being teased.
Given the timing, hot on the heels of the latest net migration data, we may well expect him to comment on immigration and what his party would look to do about it.
You can watch live in the stream below and at the top of this page, and we'll bring you rolling updates too.
