John Rees-Evans, Ukip leadership hopeful YouTube

LONDON — British Indians would be paid to leave the UK in order to "reduce unnecessary population" under proposals by a candidate to be the next UKIP leader.

John Rees-Evans wants to take money from the £12 billion foreign aid budget in order to pay for his scheme to remove a million people from Britain every year.

Rees-Evans, who famously accused a gay donkey of raping his horse, is one of eleven people in the running for Ukip leader, including anti-Islam campaigner Ann Marie Waters.

Using the examples of British citizens with Indian or Tanzanian heritage, Rees-Evans said: "We would reduce the cost of living in this country and we’d incentivise people who are not doing particularly well in this country to leave and return to their country where they can create a thriving business and improve our lives here in Britain."

His proposed "fast-track" scheme would give dual-nationals £9,000 plus healthcare to "return to their country of origin," which he believes would "create jobs in this country, reduce unnecessary population and reduce the strain on infrastructure in Britain."

Labour MP Rupa Huq told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "This is not even dog whistle politics - it’s as subtle as a crowbar.

"Luckily this ridiculous idea from the fourth placed favourite candidate of a party clearly on the skids which smacks of attention-grabbing desperation is going nowhere."

Ukip's home affairs spokesperson Jane Collins, who is also standing to be leader, said the idea had "very worrying undertones."

She said: "There was a similar policy in the BNP's 2010 manifesto. I want British residents who run businesses to stay here and run a business here and employ people. For millions of people this is their home."

Rees-Evans claimed his repatriation policy is "not going to be draconian, it's not going to be fascist. I'm not interested in using eugenics or any evil things like that."

Fellow leadership contender Marie-Waters told BI last week that immigration from "Muslim societies" is the "biggest threat" to the UK, although another candidate said they would "absolutely" consider their membership of Ukip if Marie-Waters was elected.

Ukip gained no seats in June's general election, and have seen three different leaders resign since 2016.