Reform UK Proposes Foreign Prisoner Deportation Amidst Labour's Early Release Plan
Government considers blocking release of PC Harper's killers as probation staff eye industrial action over capacity concerns.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Callum Smith
Reform UK has unveiled plans to deport foreign national prisoners to countries including El Salvador and Kosovo.
Reform UK aims to free up prison capacity within the UK. Party leader Nigel Farage initiated discussions regarding the rental of prison spaces in other nations, exploring options with third countries including El Salvador.
Farage suggests Estonia and Lithuania as Baltic state options. Zia Yusuf stated, "Unbelievably, there are over 10,000 foreign nationals in British jails."
Unbelievably, there are over 10,000 foreign nationals in British jails.
Labour's strategy, in stark contrast, involves the early release of approximately 5,000 serious criminals, beginning in October.
This group includes individuals convicted of manslaughter, domestic abuse, child pornography, drug dealing, and wounding with intent.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham currently explores options to prevent the release of PC Harper's killers, Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole. Two of Pc Andrew Harper's killers remain eligible for early release after serving half of their sentences.
Burnham announced a pause in the scheme, pending a rethink. He is understood to be changing the rules to make it more restrictive.
Around 1,000 rapists and the most serious sex offenders will be excluded from the early release scheme following an urgent review.
The Sentencing Act is being implemented to address ongoing prison capacity issues.
The Ministry of Justice dismissed a Daily Mail report on the early release scheme's potential impact as 'highly speculative' and based on 'an inaccurate method of calculating the impact of sentencing reforms'.
The Probation Service, which employs approximately 21,000 full-time staff, faces a shortfall of about 1,500 probation officers.
Sources indicate that a vote in favour of industrial action by probation staff, represented by Napo, appears 'fairly clear-cut'.
Strikes could commence by the end of the year, coinciding with Labour’s early release scheme.
Conservatives claim that nearly 90,000 Britons will become victims of crime due to Labour's prison release plan.
They further assert this plan could lead to around 500 added sex offences, nearly 1,800 violent crimes, and just under 36,000 thefts before the end of this Parliament in 2029.
Additionally, Conservatives claim there could be 1,500 crimes for possessing a weapon, more than 7,000 drug-related offences, and up to 3,000 public order offences recorded.
A Labour spokesperson affirmed, "Keeping the public safe is and always will be Labour’s first priority. The government has already made clear we are working at pace to deport foreign criminals and we’re building more prison places to deliver justice for victims and keep criminals behind bars."
Donald Trump previously made a $6 million agreement with El Salvador to deport migrants from the US.
Temporary Nightingale hospitals and courts were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to manage capacity.