Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick has criticised Big Four giants Deloitte and KPMG for laying off British staff, alleging they did so while “importing thousands of migrant workers”.
In his latest video post, standing outside Deloitte’s London HQ, the MP said Deloitte “laid off 800 UK staff” but that “over the last five years, they have hired 8,800 foreign workers.”
Reform’s economic spokesman said Deloitte “are not alone” and alleged KPMG sponsored 1,100 visas and laid off 900 UK staff.
In March, KPMG revealed it was laying off more than 400 staff in its audit department and 120 in its advisory section, citing low attrition rates. In July, City AM revealed KPMG was cutting around 200 staff in its UK group corporate services division. Last month, the FT announced KPMG would lay off another 200 staff in its data and tech division.
Like other Big Four firms, Deloitte has also made thousands of redundancies in the UK over the last few years due to a mix of the fallout from overhiring during the pandemic, an economic slowdown, AI uncertainty, and attrition issues.
This year alone, Deloitte offered voluntary redundancy packages to cut 200 jobs across its audit business, offering UK staff “bumper redundancy packages” that went beyond statutory legal minimums.
Despite Jenrick’s attack that the layoffs are targeting ‘British workers’, the redundancy rounds can also include staff on visas, such as the Skilled Worker visa. Firms don’t publicly disclose the specific visa statuses or nationalities of the individuals included in their redundancy figures.
According to UK Home Office data for 2025, Deloitte sponsored 1,647 workers on Skilled Worker visas, and KPMG sponsored 1,132 workers. Data on the immigration status of people who are made redundant is unavailable.
Reform UK officials told City AM they didn’t have specific problems with KPMG and Deloitte, and instead wanted to see large employers take on more Britons and highly skilled workers.
Reform UK threatened Vodafone boss
Senior figures in the party have clashed with firms of all sizes over migration issues.
Reform UK’s home affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, pledged to pay financial rewards to members of the public who inform the government about high street shops employing illegal migrants, after it found several small firms were on a register to sponsor visas even after receiving penalties for employing illegal workers.
Yusuf also threatened to imprison Vodafone boss Margherita Della Valle for supplying free SIM cards to migrants entering the UK on small boats.
Reform has recently taken steps to boost its relationships with businesses, holding its first ‘Business Day’ at the party conference in early September. Jenrick has said party leaders wanted to have an open conversation with bosses about best practices, yet several business representatives have privately criticised the party’s combative approach to building ties with the private sector.
Deloitte and KPMG declined to comment.