Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has taken a veiled swipe at Nigel Farage after suggesting the Tories are the only party with a “proper plan” to curb Channel crossings.

Mr Philp did not mention Reform UK by name in his 409-word article exclusively available for GB News members.

However, the Shadow Home Secretary appeared to put clear blue water between the Tories and Reform UK.

Mr Philp said: “This is a historic moment. The Conservative Party have decided to leave the European Convention on Human Rights and we are the only party to have a proper plan to make sure that it works in practice.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly. But it will enable our plan to remove 150,000 illegal immigrants and foreign criminals each year.”

Mr Philp added: “When we say we will do whatever it takes to stop illegal immigration – we mean it and we have a proper plan to do it. We are the only party who can say this.”

Alongside deporting 150,000 migrants a year and leaving the ECHR, Kemi Badenoch’s seven-part plan includes banning asylum claims for illegal entrants, withdrawal from the European Convention of Action against Trafficking, and repealing the Human Rights Act.

Other measures include ending the Immigration Tribunal, Judicial Review and legal aid for immigration cases, signing returns agreements backed by visa sanctions and supporting Britain’s allies abroad to prevent illegal entry to Europe.

However, Reform UK has already accused the Tories of “copying” Mr Farage’s policy to halt illegal migration.

Speaking to GB News earlier today, Reform UK chairman Dr David Bull said: “In fact, when I read that policy last night, my mouth dropped open because it’s pretty much a copy and paste of the policy we launched about a month ago, Operation Restoring Justice.

“Pretty much, they’re doing exactly what we said. It’s literally a copy and paste, they’ve taken every single word.”

Reform UK’s policy chief Zia Yusuf unveiled Operation Resorting Justice alongside Mr Farage on August 26, some 40 days before the Tory Party made its Borders announcement.

Operation Restoring Justice is promising the deportation of 600,000 migrants, withdrawal from the ECHR, disapplying the Refugee Convention and establishing a British Bill of Rights.

Mr Farage and Mr Yusuf also committed to negotiating with other countries for a returns deal, including Taliban-run Afghanistan.

However, data compiled by the Home Office suggests both proposals would require a significant increase in manpower, with just 9,115 enforced returns being carried out in the year to July 4, 2025.

Opinion polls suggest it might remain hard for the Conservative Party’s policy to chime with voters.

An opinion poll by Merlin Strategy found that just 15 per cent of Britons identified the Tory Party as most trusted to stop the boats.

Reform UK came out on top in the survey on 35 per cent, leaving Labour in second on 18 per cent and none of the above in third on 17 per cent.

Top Tories had cited Rishi Sunak’s failure to stop the boats as a key reason behind the party’s catastrophic defeat last year.

More than two-thirds of Channel crossings – 129,483 out of a total of 186,976 – were carried out while the Conservative Party was in power.

However, Mr Philp still took aim at Labour for the ongoing crossings, warning: “Labour has lost control of our borders and is now embroiled in a full-blown migration crisis.”

He added: “All we have seen since the election is gimmick after gimmick from this Labour Government.

“So far this year, Labour has delivered the worst channel crossing numbers in history. Over 57,000 people have crossed the Channel since they took power.

“The British people are paying the price, paying for these illegal immigrants to stay in hotels while we struggle with the cost of living. And we are bearing the brunt of the illegal immigration crime wave.”

Mr Philp was particularly aggrieved about the interpretation of the ECHR’s Articles 3 and 8.

He said: “No-one can deny that the way the courts now interpret the ECHR makes it unrecognisable from the system which Winston Churchill first helped shape.

“A paedophile not returned to Zimbabwe in case he faces hostility there – without a thought for the rights of children here to be protected.

“A violent murderer not returned to Uganda because mental health services there are apparently not as good as here. These criminals are still in the UK – thanks to the ECHR.”

However, Labour and the Liberal Democrats have shut down the Tories’ plan to withdraw from the Strasbourg court.

Home Office Minister Mike Tapp said: “The Tories opened the borders. Now they want to collapse trade deals, jepordise the Belfast Agreement and for vital migration return deals to fall down. The arsonist conference begins.”

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats have invited One Nation Tories to defect to Sir Ed Davey’s party after Mrs Badenoch vowed to block Conservative MPs from seeking re-election if they do not sign up to leaving the ECHR.

“To those One Nation Conservatives who don’t want to join the Farage circus, but instead want a party that stands up for a decent, caring Britain, our message to you is simple: you have a home with the Liberal Democrats,” a Liberal Democrat source told GB News.

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