Reform UK has threatened punitive action against Vodafone, including reviewing public contracts and excluding the company from defense procurements, over its partnership with the charity Care4Calais, which distributes free SIM cards to asylum seekers.
Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's home affairs spokesman, accused Vodafone of "facilitating the invasion of Britain by unvetted military-age men" and demanded the company cease its support for Care4Calais. He stated that if Reform UK wins the next general election, a government led by the party would "immediately review" Vodafone's public contracts and exclude it from "all defence, national security and emergency services procurement."
Yusuf also suggested that Vodafone executives could face personal and criminal liability, including imprisonment, for distributing SIM cards to individuals he deemed illegal migrants. He questioned the company's stance, asking if it would remain "as bold" after a Reform administration toughened laws on aiding and abetting illegal immigration.
According to the latest Care4Calais annual report, the charity received 2,500 SIM cards loaded with six months of free data through its partnership with Vodafone. Of these, 2,221 were distributed at a former Royal Air Force base in Wethersfield, Essex, which is currently used to accommodate migrants, including those who have arrived by small boat.
Vodafone, however, rejected Yusuf's demands. A Vodafone spokesperson stated that its program provides mobile SIMs to registered UK charities for distribution within the UK. The company emphasized that participating charities are regulated by the Charity Commission and that all calls, texts, and data are for UK use only.
Care4Calais addressed Yusuf's claims in a statement on its Facebook page, asserting that the SIM cards were distributed in the UK, not in Calais, and were provided to individuals at locations such as the Wethersfield ex-military camp. The charity criticized Yusuf for writing to Vodafone's CEO with what it described as a "false claim" and accused him of using his platform to "spread hate, division and bulls**t."