Reform Is Enlisting Tech Firms for UK Border Surveillance Plan

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomePMN BusinessReform Is Enlisting Tech Firms for UK Border Surveillance PlanReform UK’s Zia Yusuf told Bloomberg he’s speaking to tech companies about surveilling the country’s south coast to stop migrants crossing from France, after the party touted a proposal to forcibly return small boats crossing the English Channel back to French shores.Author of the article: You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf told Bloomberg he’s speaking to tech companies about surveilling the country’s south coast to stop migrants crossing from France, after the party touted a proposal to forcibly return small boats crossing the English Channel back to French shores. 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Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe drone developer has made a concerted effort to win business in the UK, and installed sentry towers to overlook the English Channel under a UK government contract. It claims to be able to spot vessels more than 15km (9.3 miles) out to sea and flag them as “suspicious.” Human rights groups have criticized Anduril over a lack of transparency regarding how it stores the data collected by its surveillance systems.A few smaller European competitors, including startup Delian Alliance Industries, are pitching governments on similar surveillance tech equipment. Tekever, a Portuguese dronemaker, has worked with the Home Office previously on English Channel surveillance. Neither company responded immediately to a request for comment. Britain’s defense ministry has worked closely with Palantir Technologies Inc, whose involvement with US President Donald Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has made it a lightning rod for criticism. Palantir doesn’t have any known UK border control contracts but has been working to build ties with the right-wing Reform party. Its leader Nigel Farage was the only UK politician to attend a drinks reception Palantir held in Davos earlier this year, and the company hired Charles Carlson to its press team, who formerly worked in a similar role for Reform. Palantir did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Monday’s policy announcement, which rival politicians judged unworkable, marked a hardening of Reform’s approach to irregular migration. While the party had previously vowed to deport anyone who arrived on a small boat, Farage now says that if his party wins a general election due by mid-2029, he would deploy military vessels to pick up migrants in the English Channel and send them back to France.The departure comes as Farage has made unusually few appearances to the media in recent weeks, after unprecedented scrutiny of his and Reform’s finances.Chris Philp, the Conservatives’ home affairs spokesman, called Farage’s latest small board policy a “gimmick”. Labour’s Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said the policy would mean “a lot of time arguing with France.”—With assistance from Mark Bergen.This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.