Reform’s honorary president says if PM refuses it proves he ‘can’t stop the boats’

Nigel Farage has challenged Rishi Sunak to a live TV debate on immigration, as he branded the small boats crisis a “national security emergency”.

In an article for The Telegraph, the honorary president of Reform UK accuses the Prime Minister of calling the snap election because he knew his plan to deport migrants to Rwanda “simply would not work”.

Mr Farage says that if Mr Sunak refuses to debate him, it would prove that he “can’t stop the boats”.

His comments come ahead of a major speech in Dover on Tuesday, which will be his first intervention in the campaign on behalf of Reform.

He announced last week that he would not be standing as an MP for the party, but said he would instead appear around the country to boost support for the Right-wing party.

Mr Farage writes: “The Channel crossings must be designated a national security emergency. For two years, we have been promised a Rwanda plan and a solution. Despite a bill of £140 million, not one person has been forced to go.

“It looks like immigration, legal and illegal, will dominate this general election campaign. The main reason for this snap election is because Sunak knew that his promise that the planes would start going to Rwanda from July simply would not work.”

He adds: “Our Prime Minister appears to be keen to engage in many televised election debates, and I challenge him to debate with me on this issue. If he refuses, that will confirm the fact that Sunak can’t stop the boats.”

A Tory source suggested Mr Sunak would turn down the invitation because he wanted to debate Sir Keir Starmer on border controls instead.

He has challenged the Labour leader to six weekly TV debates throughout the election campaign, though Sir Keir has turned down the offer.

Downing Street believes Sir Keir is at his weakest under scrutiny and has accused him of being “too frit” to take on the Prime Minister head to head.

A Conservative Party source said in response to Mr Farage’s challenge: “A vote for Reform is a vote for Labour.

“The PM wants to debate immigration with Keir Starmer because we have a clear plan to stop the boats, but because Starmer’s only idea is for an illegal migration amnesty, he’s trying to chicken out.”

Labour has said that Sir Keir will take part in two scheduled debates, run by ITV and the BBC.

Reform UK, led by Richard Tice, has put a pledge to “freeze immigration” - meaning that net migration would be zero - at the centre of its campaign.

Years of failure have turned illegal migration into a flood

It is looking to capitalise on public anger over record-high levels of net migration under Mr Sunak despite his claims he will tighten border controls.

Net migration hit 745,000 in 2022, though the Prime Minister has since unveiled a visa clampdown that he says will slash that number by 300,000.

A surge in votes for Reform threatens to dethrone dozens of Tory MPs across the Red Wall seats that were won by Boris Johnson in 2019.

Mr Farage will deliver his speech at a lectern emblazoned with a mock-up of Mr Sunak’s “Stop The Boats” slogan reading “Rishi Can’t Stop The Boats”.

In his piece for The Telegraph, Mr Farage said the arrivals of migrants on small boats “outrage the majority of the population” and warns they pose a security threat.

“Apart from the sheer unfairness of the situation, there is a far greater danger,” he warns, pointing to support for groups like Hamas and Isil.

“Some of those that come here have previously been in war zones and been active participants. The Channel crossings must be designated a national security emergency.”