Reform will be ‘toughest' party on crime ever, Farage to say
The Reform leader is expected to use a speech in London to vow to cut crime in half, declaring his party to be 'the toughest party on law and order this country has ever seen', according to The Daily Telegraph.
Among his promises will be a pledge to recruit 30,000 new police officers; end early release for prisoners convicted of serious violent, sexual or knife offences; and deport 10,400 foreign offenders currently in British jails.
He will also propose a major prison-building programme aiming to provide an extra 30,000 places to alleviate the prison overcrowding that prompted the Government to expand early release schemes.
Mr Farage will say: 'We will cut crime in half. We will take back control of our streets, we will take back control of our courts and prisons.'
But he will face questions over how he will achieve this, given his already significant spending promises and the need to negotiate returns agreements for foreign offenders.
His speech comes amid rising concern about crime in Britain, with The Sun On Sunday reporting that a recent Survation poll found 49% of people thought the UK was 'becoming a lawless country'.
Overall, crime has generally fallen over the past decade, but rose last year driven mainly by sharp increases in fraud and theft.
Dame Diana Johnson, the policing minister, said: 'If Nigel Farage was serious about making our streets safer, he should have backed the tough new laws we introduced earlier this year.
'It's shameful that Reform constantly seeks to undermine confidence in our police and criminal justice system and voted to try to block measures to crack down on knife crime, anti-social behaviour, shop theft, child sexual abuse, and long overdue action to tackle the scourge of violence against women and girls.
'They should focus more on practical solutions to support our police, combat crime, deliver justice for victims of crime, rather than chasing headlines, spouting slogans and trying to divide communities.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
3 minutes ago
- The Independent
Evil will not define Southport a year on from attack, deputy council leader says
The people of Southport will not 'allow evil to define' them, a year on from a knife attack on a children's dance class. Tuesday marks one year since Axel Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time, entered the Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Hart Street and fatally injured Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven. In the days following the attack, during which he also attempted to kill eight other children and two adults, violent disorder broke out in the seaside town and across the country. Deputy leader of Sefton Council Paulette Lappin said now the community was looking to move forward in a positive way. She told the PA news agency: 'It still remains beyond belief, even though I know it to be true, and so it's just very sad. 'From sadness, we hope to bring goodness and that's all we can do.' This summer the area outside Southport Town Hall, where hundreds laid floral tributes and a vigil was held last year, is again filled with colourful flowers. The flowers are now in planters which have been put in place ahead of its transformation into legacy gardens, in memory of those who lost their lives in the attack. Councillor Lappin said: 'It will be designed for the enjoyment and the fun of children, so that all children can come and they can all play in here. 'That's what we have to remember, that it is an absolutely terrible tragedy, but we cannot allow evil to define us.' A new playground is also being built at Churchtown Primary School, in memory of Alice and Bebe, who were both pupils. On the anniversary, members of the public are being asked not to lay flowers but to consider making donations to local causes – including funds set up in the names of the victims of the attack and the Southport Strong Together Appeal, which was established last year to support those affected. No large vigil will be held, but a three-minute silence will be observed at 3pm and churches and community centres will be open for those looking for support or space for quiet reflection. Cllr Lappin said plans for the day were guided by the families, who had their 'thoughts, compassion and incredible respect'. Last summer, a recovery fund was set up to help businesses affected by the attack and to support families. Cllr Lappin said the council had worked with the voluntary sector, specialists involved in trauma, community and faith groups and the emergency services over the past year. 'We hope that this is a holistic approach of listening to everybody with respect and dignity so that we can actually move forward together as much as we possibly can,' she said. 'This work is ongoing. It will continue.'
The Independent
3 minutes ago
- The Independent
Donald Trump to open resort's second golf course on final day in Scotland
Donald Trump will officially open his new golf course in Aberdeenshire on the final day of his visit to Scotland. The US president's fifth day in Scotland on Tuesday follows a meeting and press conference with Sir Keir Starmer on Monday. Mr Trump will cut the ribbon on a second 18-hole course at his resort in Menie, Aberdeenshire before he flies back to the US on Air Force One. The president has played several rounds of golf during his Scottish trip, teeing off at his other resort in Turnberry, Ayrshire, on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. As they met at Turnberry for bilateral talks on trade and the situation in Gaza, Mr Trump and Sir Keir took part in what proved to be a lengthy press conference, with the president discussing a number of topics. The Republican Party leader spoke of his 'great love' for Scotland and said he wanted to see the nation 'thrive'. He returned to his long-running objections to wind turbines, branding them 'ugly monsters' and speaking of his admiration for North Sea oil and gas. Discussing the war in Ukraine, Mr Trump said he was 'very disappointed' in Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggested he would bring forward a deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire. The US president called Sir Sadiq Khan a 'nasty person', which prompted Sir Keir to come to the defence of his 'friend' the London Mayor. Construction of the new course in Menie began in 2023, with Mr Trump and his son Eric breaking ground on the project. Trump International Scotland claims the two courses will be the 'greatest 36 holes in golf'. The second course is expected to be dedicated to the president's mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born on the Isle of Lewis. Critics say the Trump developments in Scotland have not delivered as many jobs as promised and work at the Menie site has caused environmental damage. Mr Trump and Sir Keir landed at Menie aboard Marine One, the president's helicopter, which was seen circling the new course before it touched down on Monday evening. The president then hosted a dinner at Menie with members of his family and guests including Scottish First Minister John Swinney. A demonstration took place in Balmedie, near the resort, on Monday. A small number of protesters sat at the roadside in the centre of the village, surrounded by cardboard signs bearing anti-Trump slogans.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Manhattan shooter identified as Shane Tamura, 27, of Las Vegas: What we know about the gunman
The man who unleashed chaos inside a Midtown Manhattan office tower on Monday afternoon has been identified as Shane Tamura, a 27-year-old licensed private investigator from Las Vegas who once dreamed of a life in football. Authorities say Tamura arrived in Manhattan by car on Monday and walked into 345 Park Avenue in the heart of Midtown Manhattan with a concealed weapon permit issued by the Las Vegas Sheriff's Department. What followed was a terrifying and targeted shooting spree that police believe was premeditated and likely suicidal. 'It appears that he knew it would be his last stand,' said CNN chief law enforcement analyst John Miller, a former NYPD deputy commissioner. 'He fully intended to shoot his way through the lobby and make his way to that target - whatever that might have been.' The building, home to major corporate tenants including the NFL's headquarters, became the scene of a frantic lockdown as gunshots echoed through the corridors and heavily armed police teams swarmed the floors. While the league's offices are housed in the tower, sources confirmed Tamura was not on the NFL floor and that no known connection has yet been established between the shooter and the sports organization. Still, his past raises haunting questions. Tamura grew up in Hawaii, where he attended high school and was immersed in a life dominated by sports. He was a promising football player in junior varsity, obsessed with the game and once on a path that suggested a future defined by discipline and teamwork. But in the years after he left the field, Tamura's life became murkier. He eventually relocated to Las Vegas, where he earned a private investigator's license and obtained a concealed carry permit to carry firearms, both legally granted through Nevada's Sheriff's Department. The latter part of Tamura's life is largely invisible to the public. Investigators are now urgently combing through his car, phone, and computer in search of answers to try and work out what stressors or perceived injustices led him to carry out the deadly shooting. 'Police want to know what brought him to that building, who or what the target was, and what the grievance or motive behind it might have been,' Miller explained. 'These cases often involve people who experience a downfall and begin to blame others - bosses, institutions, society at large. 'Then they decide to get even with everybody, even though in most cases, the problem is usually them,' Miller said. Investigators are also poring over Tamura's social media footprint, hoping it might offer clues - manifestos, threats, cryptic posts, or grievances that might have foreshadowed his violent act. As of now, police have not said whether Tamura had any personal or professional connection to the building or its tenants, but they are leaving no stone unturned. Authorities say there's no immediate evidence of any accomplices, but they are working methodically to verify that no other individual helped plan or facilitate his movements across state lines or into the high-security office tower. Miller emphasized that shooters like Tamura often spiral quietly, building a world of resentment that no one sees until it erupts in tragedy. 'They blame their problems on other people and entities,' he said. 'Then they decide to get even - with the world, with everyone - even though the problem usually begins and ends with themselves.' No motive has yet been officially released, but the scene suggests Tamura had a plan that ended with his own death.
