Reform plans to tear up key plank of Brexit deal as it vows to hike taxes for employers hiring foreign workers

Reform plans to tear up key plank of Brexit deal as it vows to hike taxes for employers hiring foreign workers Robert Jenrick, Reform’s Treasury spokesperson, said companies which employ foreign workers would have to pay higher national insurance and a new ‘migrant labour levy’ - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Robert Jenrick has revealed Reform would tear up a key part of the UK’s deal with the EU over Brexit – forcing EU citizens who have lived in Britain for years to potentially lose their jobs and be forced to leave the country. The Reform UK MP said companies which employ foreign workers would have to pay higher national insurance, as well as a “migrant labour levy”, under a Nigel Farage government. Mr Jenrick admitted his plans to prioritise British workers would mean EU citizens who were given settled status in the UK after Brexit will not be counted as “British workers”. It comes as demarcation lines over Brexit are being redrawn 10 years after the EU referendum and ahead of Thursday’s crucial Makerfield by-election where Labour’s Andy Burnham is hoping to make a return to Westminster to challenge to become prime minister. With Sir Keir Starmer pushing for putting the UK back into the heart of Europe – and leading Labour figures such as Wes Streeting calling for a strategy to rejoin the bloc – Reform are unashamedly using the Brexit status to rewrite immigration rules in a “British workers first” strategy. If Reform had the chance to carry out this policy, it would mean the deal with the EU would collapse – leading to a potential trade war and new tariffs. It would also mean that the 3 million EU citizens who were given full rights with the settled status scheme in the Brexit deal would find their rights eroded – even though many have been in the UK for years and decades. Mr Jenrick, the former Tory immigration minister turned Reform Treasury spokesman, announced the new “British workers first, migrant workers second” tax policy to go alongside plans to cancel the visas of millions of migrants in the UK currently doing low paid jobs. Without offering any evidence, he claimed that preferential treatment for migrant workers was pushing up the cost of welfare with Brits preferring to stay at home. Mr Jenrick also claimed that cheap migrant Labour is “undercutting British wages and standard of living” and means millions of Brits are now on welfare. He announced “two big changes”, starting with scrapping Rachel Reeves’ national insurance hike for employers, which he says is a “job destroying, self harming jobs tax.” However, the cut in national insurance contributions will be for “British workers only” – meaning employers will pay more tax for foreign workers. The second measure will be a new employers’ migrant levy – an annual fee for each foreign worker they employ to target “cheap foreign labour.” He did not set any rates for the new tax, arguing that they would need to do that nearer an election. But he confirmed that employers who take on EU citizens with settled status will not get a discount on national insurance and would have to pay Reform’s proposed new migrant jobs levy. He said: “We are unashamedly on the side of the British people. We are going to design a tax system that backs British workers and puts their interests first every single time. What, why is that a controversial thing to say? “I remember in 2008 when Gordon Brown said ‘British jobs for British workers’, and he was attacked for saying it back then. “Well, Reform is actually going to do it this time. We are going to make sure that the tax system rewards people who are Brits, and British companies take on British workers.” He added: “If you are in this country and you're not a British citizen and you are somebody who will not be able to stay in the UK under a Reform government, then you should think of leaving the country, because we want a country where people are here for the right reasons, who are economic contributors and an economy that works for British citizens.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] BRITISH WORKERS FIRST