Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says officials who approve entry for dangerous migrants would face loss of pensions, prosecution, and new criminal penalties under proposed reforms.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has pledged to strip pensions from civil servants found responsible for approving the entry of migrants who later commit rape or serious sexual assault, arguing that immigration failures have put British women and girls at risk.
Speaking amid renewed scrutiny of violent crimes committed by foreign nationals, Farage said responsibility lies not only with offenders but also with what he described as a deeply entrenched civil service bureaucracy that has failed to block dangerous individuals from entering the country.
Under proposals from Reform UK, any immigration official determined to have allowed a migrant into Britain who subsequently committed rape or sexual assault could have their pension revoked, with the funds redirected to charities supporting victims. In especially serious cases, officials could also face criminal prosecution.
In comments to the Mail on Sunday, Farage said that accountability must extend beyond policy failures to individual decision-makers. He said that civil servants who knowingly approve entry for migrants posing a public risk would be held personally responsible for the consequences of those decisions, adding that he would not allow the safety of women and girls to be compromised by what he called misguided liberal ideology.
A Reform UK spokesman said it is already unlawful for the government to grant refugee status to individuals who pose a danger to the public, but argued that Home Office staff are approving asylum claims despite criminal concerns. The spokesman said a Reform-led government would hold both caseworkers and managers accountable for such decisions.
The party also plans to introduce a new criminal offence of “dishonestly determining an asylum claim,” which could carry a prison sentence of up to two years.
The announcement follows several widely reported cases involving sexual violence committed by migrants in Britain, including the rape of a 15-year-old girl in Leamington Spa. Earlier this month, two teenage Afghan migrants who crossed the English Channel in small boats and were housed at public expense were convicted of raping the girl.
While the government has not released comprehensive crime statistics detailing the nationality or ethnicity of offenders, multiple media analyses of arrest and police data have indicated higher arrest and conviction rates among certain migrant groups. A Daily Mail investigation earlier this year reported that Sudanese migrants had an arrest rate for sex crimes of 1,200 per 100,000 people, followed by Afghan migrants at 1,009 per 100,000. By comparison, Britons were reported to have a rate of 55 per 100,000.
Responding to Reform UK’s proposals, a government spokesman said civil servants play a critical role in securing borders and processing removals. The spokesman said nearly 50,000 people with no legal right to remain in the UK have been removed and that asylum-related returns are up 27 percent compared with the previous year. He added that the government is reforming human rights laws and replacing the appeals system to accelerate deportations and prevent foreign criminals from exploiting existing legal frameworks.
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