Reform UK has pledged to cap the number of vape shops in Britain at 1,000 as part of a wider crackdown on illegal working and organised crime, claiming the move would help “reclaim our high streets”.
Announcing the proposal on Thursday, the party's home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf said a Reform government would introduce a national licensing scheme for vape retailers, with licences allocated to local authorities and limited to 1,000 premises nationwide.
Yusuf claimed the measure would “instantly reduce” the number of vape shops by around 70 per cent, arguing they had come to dominate many shopping parades.
“Firstly, we will introduce national licensing for vape shops,” he said. “These licences will be capped at 1,000 premises allocated to local authorities. This measure will instantly reduce the number of vape shops by 70 per cent, ensuring they no longer dominate our shopping parades.
“Any unlicensed shop will be immediately closed and its assets seized.”
The proposal forms part of a broader package of measures targeting illegal migration, illegal working and organised crime on the high street.
Reform also said it would establish a public “tip line” for reporting suspected illegal working or organised criminal activity on the high street, with reports resulting in successful enforcement rewarded with a share of the fine.
The announcement comes as concerns continue to grow over criminal activity linked to some retail premises. Earlier this year, a Trading Standards report estimated that as many as half of convenience stores and vape retailers in some areas have links to organised crime.
The party also reiterated plans for a so-called “Deliveroo Law”, under which companies found employing illegal workers would face fines of up to 10 per cent of their global revenue, while chief executives could face personal criminal liability and prison sentences.
“The Tories and Labour have made Britain the softest-touch country in the world for illegal migrants to undercut British workers,” Yusuf said.
“Under a Reform government, Britain will have the harshest penalties in the world for those employing illegal migrants. Bosses of companies employing illegal migrants will be sent to prison, and their companies fined 10 per cent of their global revenues.”
Responding to Reform's wider proposals, a Deliveroo spokesperson said the company had already taken extensive steps to prevent illegal working on its platform.
“Illegal working should absolutely be addressed, and that's why we've led the industry in cracking down on the sophisticated, organised criminals who attempt to abuse our platform,” the spokesperson said.
“We run right to work checks on all riders, conduct multiple daily identity checks and use cutting-edge fraud-detection technology, and we'd encourage other industries affected by illegal working to do the same.”
A Home Office spokesperson said the government was already strengthening enforcement against illegal working.
“Illegal working undermines honest business, exploits vulnerable individuals and fuels organised immigration crime,” the spokesperson said.
“We are already closing the loopholes that allow illegal migrants to work in the UK by extending right to work checks to the gig economy and delivery sector.
“Employers who break the law face severe consequences, including fines of up to £60,000 per illegal worker, business closures, licence revocations and prison sentences of up to five years.”