Reform UK is facing criticism following a refusal by one of Nigel Farage’s key associates to dismiss the idea of relocating asylum seekers to the Falkland Islands or Gibraltar if the party comes into power.
Sarah Pochin, a prominent figure in Reform UK, did not reject the concept after the party suggested the potential use of British overseas territories as a contingency plan. During a debate in Westminster Hall, Labour MP Luke Charters expressed concerns about the proposal and urged Pochin to clarify her party’s stance on the matter.
Charters stated that using the Falkland Islands for asylum processing was troubling and unrealistic. He requested Pochin to confirm that Reform UK would exclude the Falkland Islands from their asylum strategy.
When pressed on the issue, Pochin declined to rule out any policy regarding asylum processing in the Falklands or Gibraltar. This response was met with criticism from Labour MP Kevin Bonavia, who praised the UK’s agreement with France on returns but criticized the idea of utilizing overseas territories for accommodation.
Nigel Farage has claimed that a government led by Reform UK would deport 600,000 migrants within five years. However, there are doubts about the feasibility of this plan, especially considering Farage’s openness to negotiating with the Taliban.
In a previous statement, Reform MP Lee Anderson expressed reservations about using the Falkland Islands for housing migrants and proposed alternative solutions such as utilizing remote Scottish islands for this purpose.
The debate surrounding the use of British overseas territories for asylum processing continues to draw attention and raises questions about the practicality and ethics of such a policy.