Farage: Reform will end early release of serious criminals

Desk report: Nigel Farage is to pledge that violent criminals and sex offenders will never be released early if he becomes prime minister.

In a major speech on Monday, Mr Farage will promise a new prison building programme to tackle overcrowding and provide 30,000 new places.

Positioning Reform UK as the party of law and order, he will also say a Reform government will send foreign offenders back to their country of origin and appoint 30,000 more police officers within five years.

He will also vow to bring in regulations to stop “two-tier justice”, where criminals get different jail sentences depending on their backgrounds.

Mr Farage said: “Reform UK will be the toughest party on law and order this country has ever seen.

“We will cut crime in half. We will take back control of our streets, we will take back control of our courts and prisons.”

Mr Farage’s push on law and order comes as the party continues to ride high in the polls.

A survey carried out by J L Partners found that Reform UK has a six-point lead over Labour. The two parties are on 29 per cent and 23 per cent, leaving the Conservatives trailing at 17 per cent.

If replicated in a general election in 2029, this would be enough to give Mr Farage’s party a slim majority in Parliament.

On Sunday night, Reform would not reveal how they were going to fund their pledges, but promised to lay out the details on Monday morning.

Under the new policy, Reform would end all early release schemes for sex offenders, serious violent offenders and those carrying knives.

Mr Farage will vow that under a Reform government, all shoplifters will face arrest, and all drug traffickers will be sent to jail for life.

Kicking off a “six-week offensive” of policy announcements in his speech, he will claim his tough stance on law and order will see crime fall by half.

“If you’re a criminal, we are putting you on notice,” he will say. “In 2029, you have a choice to make: be a law-abiding citizen or face serious justice.”

These will include places freed up by sending foreign offenders back to their country of origin to serve the rest of their sentences.

“By deporting 10,400 foreign prisoners, Reform will end the crisis of prison overcrowding,” Mr Farage said.

“There’s no justification for taxpayers funding the lives of criminals who shouldn’t be here in the first place.”