Additional reporting by Joe Crossley

Nigel Farage has announced in Dover today plans to create a new minister for deportations if his party wins the next general election.

During a conference held at the Best Western Hotel in Waterloo Crescent, his party's chairman introduced Mr Farage, Reform UK MP for Clacton and party leader, as "the next Prime Minister of the UK".

It comes ahead of elections to Kent County Council (KCC) next Thursday, which pollsters Electoral Calculus predicted last month Reform UK would win.

He spoke mainly about immigration from a blue lectern with the slogan "Reform will fix it" and a backdrop with the words "Britain is broken".

“We’ve been told by successive pms that they would stop the boats, even that they would smash the gangs – and I'm afraid none of it has come true,” he told the room packed with journalists.

“We are now by far the most trusted party on this issue, and I am by far the most trusted leader to do something about it."

The long-time Eurosceptic politician who spearheaded the campaign to leave the EU for decades has come to Dover often, with the town becoming symbolic in the immigration debate as the site where many small boats arrive.

He continued: “Non-selective, non-working mass migration has made everyone in this country poorer – except big employers who want as much cheap migrant labour as they can get their hands on."

If Reform UK win the next general election, currently set to take place in 2029, he said they would create a new minister for deportations to oversee the removal of all illegal immigrants from the country.

He argued that many in the Home Office would try to "obstruct" such policies, and that his party would remove the right of all people who arrive illegally to claim asylum.

He also alleged immigration has increased crime.

“If you come from a poorer country there are richer pickings in crime in London, Manchester, Birmingham and even Dover than in your home country," he said.

“You may as well put up a sign on the white cliffs of Dover saying everyone is welcome."

Electoral Calculus - the polling firm with a strong track record on predicting elections - released research in March saying Mr Farage's Party would take control of the county council.

Currently, KCC is run by the Conservatives, and has been since 1997, and for almost the entire history since the authority was created in 1974.

When asked if his party will win, Mr Farage, who is from Kent himself, said: "Can we win an outright majority? I simply don't know.

“We are going to do very very well indeed we are going to take a lot of seats."

Speculating on the party’s first day in office, Mr Farage said Reform UK would "bring the auditors in" to the county council, citing their "gross financial mismanagement".

KCC is currently in high amounts of debt, and had to make £72m of cuts to spending to pass its budget for 2025-2026.

“I'm not saying we can wave a magic wand," Mr Farage added.

“KCC is broken, Reform are going to come along and fix it."

In Sittingbourne, he visited the George pub where he spoke further about his party’s plans, particularly for the county council.

He said: “It’s great to meet our candidates that are going on the ballot paper next Thursday, plus some of their supporters.

“There is no doubt we are doing very, very well – the results next Thursday are going to be very interesting.

“May 1 for us is an essential stepping stone on the back of the next level of the general election.”

Speaking on the low voter turnouts at local elections, the politician added: “Our candidates are active, out meeting people.

“One of the reasons why turnout is so low is because of disenchantment – people think ‘Is it going to make any difference?’

“I believe there is a silent majority who believes in most of our views. It’s about energy, enthusiasm, organisation, and we are still a relatively young party, but my goodness, are we building a structure very fast.”

The George’s landlady Christine Kirk told KentOnline it was "surreal" to have the MP for Clacton in her pub, which she has run for almost four years.

The 60-year-old quizzed Mr Farage, who she had poured a gin and tonic, on what Reform would do to help boozers like hers in a challenging economic climate.

She said: "It is nice to have them [politicians] at the grassroots where they can actually speak to people who know what is going on [in the area].

"Two guys came in earlier and asked if I would be happy for someone influential and famous from Reform to come in, and I said ‘yes’.

"Then Mr Farage came in. I had a chat with him about tax going up and some help for freehold pubs, like ourselves.

"We have to compete with the big names in Sittingbourne, such as Wetherspoons and Stonegate [The Vineyard], so it is hard."

Meanwhile, former bus driver and postie Charles Neal, who lives just a stone's throw away from the High Street in Millfield, says he will vote for Reform UK after feeling "let down" by the Tory party.

The 68-year-old, who has lived in the town for 35 years, said he found out Mr Farage was coming to the pub when he walking down the street.

Mr Neal met the Reform UK leader outside the pub and even got himself a selfie with him.

He spoke to KentOnline before he arrived: "I am looking forward to him coming and relishing the fact he will be here.

"He is like Marmite, but he is a well-rehearsed politician and I trust that his heart is in the right place."

But not all in Sittingbourne have been convinced to vote for Farage's candidates.

Vanessa Kelsey-Jansen spoke to the leader outside St Michael's Church as he walked through the town centre surrounded by bodyguards.

She asked Mr Farage on what he stood for “other than Brexit and immigration"?

The 60-year-old said: "I think it was good that he spoke to me, but I don't think he had much choice.

"People always think of those two things [Brexit and immigration]. But I am concerned about special needs and the needy people and support for them, and I have a feeling he is going to cut, cut, cut.

"He is very charming. I would talk to him in the pub and have a beer with him, but I wouldn't vote for him by any means."