Reform UK’s deputy leader has claimed up to 50 per cent of food delivery drivers are “working illegally” forcing a major chain to release an urgent statement.
Richard Tice argued “illegal workers” are “suppressing the wages of genuine British workers” to fellow MPs in a debate on migration.
He said: “There is another issue here: the degree of illegal working going on in this country is completely off the scale. It is often unreported on. For example, 40 per cent to 50 per cent of all fast food deliveries, give or take, are now being done by people on sub-accounts.
“They rent the accounts from the original account holder, who they find on Facebook, at a cost of £50 or £60 a week. Why would someone pay someone else for a sub-account on a delivery company website if they were able to get an account for free? There can be only one reason: those people are working illegally.
“If any Members [of Parliament] enjoy the pleasures of fast food deliveries, I suggest they look at the person delivering their food and compare them with the picture of the person who was supposed to deliver it. Very often, they will see that it is not the same person.
“The scale of illegal working has the sad effect, which I have seen and spoken to people in certain towns about, of suppressing the wages of genuine British workers who want to earn a good living, and were earning a good living, by delivering fast food on bikes, e-bikes or whatever. Again, there is a serious lack of fairness; it is completely unjust.”
After repeating a similar claim last June, Reform UK failed to provide a source to PA Media.
In response to Tice’s comments, an Uber Eats spokesperson told The London Economic: “Uber Eats has long been committed to fighting illegal work. All couriers who use the Uber Eats app, whether it is the account holder or their substitute, must undergo checks to ensure they are over eighteen and have a legal right to work in the UK.
“Unlawful or unsafe behaviour is a clear breach of our community guidelines, and we will investigate and take action on reports of any such behaviour, which can include permanently removing access to the app. We are continually updating and strengthening our tools to respond to increasingly sophisticated fraud mechanisms.”
Related: Fiona Bruce threatens to ‘gag’ Reform’s Richard Tice on Question Time