Morally repugnant

Farage his migrant will cripple is told plan NHS, He wants to block workers being citizens

- ASHLEY COWBURN

OVERSEAS staff play a vital role in the NHS but it appears Nigel Farage wants to repay their dedication to sick people with the boot from Britain.

And health experts warned the Reform boss that his warped plan would cripple the service, which is already suffering a haemorrhage of workers to posts abroad.

Mr Farage said yesterday he will axe the indefinite leave to remain if he wins power, which would block the main route to citizenship for migrants who have been here for five years.

He has in his sights around 800,000 people here legally who will become eligible for ILR in the coming years.

Under the plan, foreign workers would have to apply for visas every five years, with stricter conditions, which if not met means they face being kicked out.

The former Ukip chief also said he would ban anyone who is not a UK citizen from claiming benefits.

ABHORRENT

NHS figures this year showed a fifth of current staff were recruited from overseas. Out of 1.5 million, 311,000 were non-British.

The GMB union's Rachel Harrison said: "Apart from being morally repugnant, this half-baked policy is completely unworkable.

"Our public services, especially the NHS, and our care sector are utterly reliant on migrant workers.