Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has unveiled a controversial proposal to send some UK prisoners overseas as part of a wider criminal justice overhaul aimed at creating 30,000 new prison places.
The full plan, revealed during a speech in London, is expected to cost £17.4 billion over five years.
The proposal includes building five new prisons, relocating foreign offenders to their home countries, recruiting 30,000 additional police officers, and transferring certain serious UK offenders to serve their sentences abroad. Reform UK claims the strategy would significantly reduce crime and ease the mounting pressure on the British prison system.
Farage stated that the country is experiencing deep societal strain and that his party could halve crime in five years through bold reforms. The planned reforms would be funded through cuts to major public spending projects such as HS2 and net-zero policies, avoiding the need for tax increases, according to Reform.
Of the total £17.4 billion, £10.5 billion would be allocated to police recruitment, while £5 billion would fund the construction and operation of five low-security ‘Nightingale’ prisons on Ministry of Defence land.
These new facilities would provide 12,400 spaces for lower-risk inmates and bring jobs to local communities. Farage also said Reform-run councils would be obliged to host these prisons, highlighting the economic benefits for host areas.
In addition to building prisons in the UK, Reform UK proposes creating 10,400 places by repatriating foreign nationals currently in British prisons, with the UK agreeing to take back British prisoners held abroad. A further 10,000 places would be made available by transferring serious offenders overseas at an estimated cost of £1.25 billion.
Farage pointed to potential locations such as Kosovo, Estonia and El Salvador, though he acknowledged concerns over human rights in certain countries. Similar international arrangements already exist, such as Denmark’s 2021 agreement to rent 300 prison spaces in Kosovo for an annual fee of £12.8 million.
The idea of outsourcing prisoners is not entirely new. Previous UK governments have reportedly assessed similar options, but concerns over cost and feasibility have kept such plans from being implemented. In 2023, the UK government said it had no plans to send prisoners to Estonia, despite growing pressure on the prison system.
The most recent data shows there are 87,835 inmates in England and Wales, with the system operating close to its usable capacity of 89,582. Last year, the Prison Governors’ Association warned that prisons were nearly full, forcing early release for some inmates.
In response to Farage’s announcement, Labour criticised the plans as lacking financial backing and serious policy depth, while the Conservatives accused Reform UK of offering unrealistic proposals with no practical roadmap. Labour highlighted its commitment to tackling crime with plans to hire 13,000 more officers and support staff by 2029.
Despite the criticism, Reform UK’s prison and policing agenda is likely to stir debate, particularly as the UK grapples with rising inmate numbers, stretched resources, and ongoing concerns about public safety.
