Immigration.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s now the most-important issue facing the UK, according to YouGov polls.<\/p>\n
New figures from the Home Office last week revealed that the number of asylum seekers being housed in hotels has risen by eight per cent under Labour<\/a>, taking the total to 32,059 by the end of June \u2013 a 57 per cent reduction since its peak under the Tories in September 2023.<\/p>\n Nine asylum hotels remain in Greater Manchester following closures in Manchester, Rochdale<\/a> and Wigan<\/a>.<\/p>\n And politicians are being challenged to offer their plans on bringing net migration down.<\/p>\n To see planning applications; traffic and road diversions and layout changes; and more, visit the Public Notices Portal HERE<\/a><\/p>\n On Tuesday morning (August 26), Nigel Farage\u2019s Reform UK put his plan forward. He announced a scheme to deport up to 600,000 migrants over five years if it won the next election, costing \u00a310 billion.<\/p>\n That announcement pushed Reform into an eight-point polling lead on Wednesday.<\/p>\n We sent our local democracy reporters out into the region to gain a window into the thoughts of the voting public \u2013 and it was clear not everyone is convinced.<\/p>\n Reform\u2019s \u2018operation restoring justice\u2019 will require the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR); alter the UK Human Rights Act; strike deals with the countries where most migrants currently originate, such as Afghanistan; and open \u2018removal centres\u2019 in remote parts of Britain so five deportation flights can fly per day. It would cost \u00a310bn to achieve.<\/p>\n There\u2019s some major hurdles there \u2013 including Reform winning the next general election, and Nigel Farage becoming Prime Minister.<\/p>\n Already, today, Reform UK appears to have rowed back from the idea it could remove children from the country under the mass deportation policy.<\/p>\n All of those variables have led to hundreds of readers chiming in with their thoughts, leaving more than 200 responses on the piece. Here is what our readers had to say\u2026<\/p>\n Tt84 said: \u201cImmigration is a problem. And I like that Farage is making this big news.<\/p>\n \u201cIt worries me that Labour think they have found a solution \u2013 one in, one out \u2013 because being completely honest, that does not even scratch the surface.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, by voting for Farage you have to consider everything as a whole \u2013 [he] stops immigration (he has already backtracked on his 600,000 figure from yesterday \u2013 so that tells you something) but at what cost?<\/p>\n \u201cThe NHS<\/a> goes. Your right to free speech, join a union, a fair trial \u2013 all of those would potentially go if we withdraw from the ECHR.<\/p>\n \u201cLabour has three years to fix immigration and they are not going to do it. But I really do hope immigration becomes a more pressing issue and the other parties step up.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause as much as I agree that we need to stop immigration, it can\u2019t be left to Reform\/Farage because the cost of doing that would be too great.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Nigel will deliver\u2019<\/p>\n Notonyournelly11 shared: \u201cImmigration is not what people’s issues are, it’s illegal immigration. There is a massive difference.<\/p>\n \u201cUndocumented males roaming the streets. Everything for free whilst the rest of us pay. It’s wrong on every level.<\/p>\n \u201cNigel will deliver, out of the people who think differently, maybe open up your home?<\/p>\n \u201cBritain is an island is broken and the people are fed up.\u201d<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1_Reform-Vox-Pops-United-Kingdom-Manchester-deport-vox-pops-nigel-farage-deportations-reform-m.jpg\")
Greater Manchester has seen protests and misinformation about immigration this summer(Image: Jake Lindley \/ Manchester Evening News)\u2018I like that Farage is making big news \u2013 but think about what we would lose\u2019<\/p>\n![\"Nigel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/3_Reform-UK-leader-Nigel-Farage-declared-receiving-almost-\u00a3100000-in-gifts-and-hospitality-since-the.webp\")
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage(Image: PA Wire\/PA Images)\u2018Immigrants aren\u2019t the root cause of this country\u2019s problems\u2019<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1_GettyImages-2216955479.jpg\")
Britain’s Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer \u2018Here to stay\u2019<\/p>\n