Nigel Farage’s proposal to establish temporary prisons for serious offenders has faced strong criticism.
Justice Minister Jake Richards, in an interview with The Mirror, expressed his disapproval of the Reform leader’s plan, stating that it lacks viable solutions to address the ongoing prison crisis.
During a visit to HMP Feltham in West London, Mr. Richards dismissed Mr. Farage’s idea of investing £5 billion in constructing new ‘Nightingale’ prisons. He emphasized that Reform’s approach seems to focus on temporary prison facilities, which he believes would not be suitable for housing serious offenders in proximity to communities.
In a counterpoint, Mr. Farage had previously announced intentions to construct five low-security prisons on Ministry of Defence (MOD) land if his party were to assume power. He claimed that this initiative would provide 12,400 spaces for “lower category offenders.”
Highlighting the challenges faced by the Labour party in addressing overcrowding in prisons, Mr. Richards pointed out that when the Tories relinquished power, there were 88,818 prison spaces accommodating 87,726 inmates.
Reflecting on public sentiment, the Justice Minister suggested that the electorate’s dissatisfaction with the previous government’s handling of issues such as prisons and criminal justice is evident in the current political landscape. He acknowledged the need for tough decisions to rectify the situation and rebuild public trust in the government’s ability to address pressing issues.