General Election 2015: Ukip manifesto says veterans will be re-trained as immigration officers

Ukip's manifesto will place heavy emphasis on policies to curb immigration and to support the armed services.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage (PA)

Army veterans would be retrained as immigration officers under Ukip policy proposals targeted at voters who “believe in Britain”.

Writing in his party’s manifesto, Nigel Farage claims the country is on the brink of its biggest political upheaval for a century. Although Ukip support has fallen from its high of last summer, it is still averaging around 15 per cent and is optimistic about capturing several parliamentary seats on 7 May.

Its manifesto will place heavy emphasis on policies to curb immigration and to support the armed services. The two issues will come together in a new plan to re-employ 6,000 armed forces veterans as immigration, police and prison officers.

Ukip will also campaign on plans for a five-year moratorium on issuing visas to unskilled workers, the introduction of an Australian-style points based system for skilled migrants and a crackdown on so-called “sham marriages”.

Hailing itself as "the new party of defence", Ukip will attempt to outflank the Tories and Labour by committing itself to the Nato target of spending two per cent of gross domestic product on defence. Mr Farage says in the manifesto’s foreword: “For the first time in 100 years, there is real change on the horizon. All you have to do is vote for it.”