Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,
UK taxpayers are currently spending £629 million annually to accommodate 10,487 foreign national offenders in British prisons. This amount could otherwise fund 16,500 police officers or 15,000 NHS nurses.
Despite Labour’s claims of record deportations, a former prison governor has criticized the exorbitant cost and slow process that allows dangerous foreign criminals to remain in the country, draining public resources instead of being repatriated.
This situation is a direct consequence of years of open-borders policies that prioritize criminals’ “rights” over British citizens’ safety.
‘We’ve got to persuade countries to take these individuals back.’
Reform UK’s Prisons Advisor Vanessa Frake reacts as GB News finds 10,487 foreign offenders in Britain are costing taxpayers £629 million a year. pic.twitter.com/VRyPpaOlXf
— GB News (@GBNEWS) May 5, 2026
Vanessa Frake, Reform UK’s Prisons Adviser and former prison governor, highlighted the significant financial burden of foreign national prisoners in an interview on GB News. She stated, “The cost to this country for foreign national prisoners is staggering,” and pointed out the lengthy process involved, which revolves around three main factors.
Frake explained the challenges hampering the removal of foreign offenders, such as the lack of identity documents, delays in communication with their countries of origin, refusals from those countries, ECHR claims, and administrative errors.
She also mentioned recent agreements made with countries like Albania, which come with conditions like improving their prison services and providing certain amenities.
Britain’s ‘staggering’ cost of foreign nationals in UK prisons torn apart by ex-prison governorhttps://t.co/9k4F9JwdOT
— GB News (@GBNEWS) May 5, 2026
Frake emphasized the disparity in daily costs between housing foreign nationals in the UK and agreements made with other countries for repatriation. She concluded that persuading these countries to take back their citizens is essential, as merely deporting individuals is not a viable solution.
These cases are not isolated incidents but part of a concerning trend. Britain has allowed violent offenders and known extremists to remain or be released despite clear risks.
For instance, a Somali terrorist in London, Essa Suleiman, who previously stabbed police officers and was flagged as an extremist, was free to commit further acts of violence due to legal complexities.
These examples underscore the urgent need for reform in deportation policies and border control to prioritize public safety over legal technicalities.
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