Reform UK’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf has publicly challenged his party colleague Robert Jenrick over the party’s stance on deportation policy, sparking a dispute ahead of the upcoming Makerfield by-election.

Jenrick, who serves as Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman, stated during an interview on Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that foreign nationals living in council housing would not face deportation solely on that basis. He clarified that deportation would depend on whether individuals met specific criteria related to employment, such as working sufficient hours or earning enough income, with those failing to meet the requirements at risk of having their indefinite leave to remain (ILR) revoked and being asked to leave the UK.

However, Yusuf contradicted Jenrick’s position the following day, emphasizing that his colleague’s comments did not reflect the party’s official policy. Posting on the social media platform X, Yusuf described himself as responsible for the party’s deportation plan and asserted that any foreign national residing in social housing at the taxpayer’s expense would be deemed to have failed the party’s economic test and would therefore be subject to deportation automatically.

The disagreement between the two Reform UK spokesmen unfolded amid the campaigning for the Makerfield by-election, where party leader Nigel Farage has promised a full-scale effort. Recent polling indicated Labour candidate Andy Burnham leading with 43 percent, while Reform UK held a strong position with 40 percent support. The right-wing vote is further divided by Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain party, which stands at 7 percent.

Reform UK has seen significant local election gains earlier this month, reportedly at the expense of both Labour and the Conservative Party. The division within Reform UK over deportation policy highlights ongoing tensions within the party as it seeks to consolidate its position on immigration ahead of a pivotal parliamentary contest.