Albanian PM: We'll take every criminal back if Farage is right
Albania's prime minister has pledged to take back all his country's prisoners in the UK in an escalating row with Nigel Farage over how many of them are in jail.
The Reform UK leader challenged Edi Rama on Friday to take back Albanian criminals after accusing him of hypocrisy over comments he made about Britain having become a 'dark place' after withdrawing from the EU.
Mr Farage said it was hypocritical to describe the UK as a dark place when one in 50 Albanians in Britain were currently in prison in the UK.
The Reform leader, who was shown on opinion polls to be the public's favourite to be the UK's next prime minister on opinion polls, urged Mr Rama to 'show some goodwill and take them all back tomorrow'.
Mr Rama, who stands at 6ft 7in tall, has now taken to X to post his response, saying that if Mr Farage's figure was right, he would take all the criminals back and if wrong, he would invite him to Albania as his guest of honour as long as he promised never to badmouth the country again.
'Ooopsss… Mr Nigel Farage himself has just challenged me on the facts!' said Mr Rama in his tweet. 'What an honour – for a 'giant man', as he described me (meaning, of course, from a 'tiny country') – to earn the attention of Britain's unrivalled virtuoso of headline politics.
'He said – and I quote: 'I tell you what, Mr Rama, did you know one in 50 Albanians in Britain are in prison? So show some goodwill and take them all back tomorrow, because this is hypocrisy.'
Mr Rama went on to claim Mr Farage's figure was 'bonkers' and a 'classic from the post-truth Brexit playbook'. He added that many Albanians are caught up in an 'outdated and restrictive visa system', but said their rate of criminality 'would be no higher – and likely lower than – that of the British population itself'.
He continued: 'Let's both bring our numbers to the table. If your 'one in 50' claim holds water – I will personally commit to taking them all back. That's not a competing headline – it's a public pledge.
'But if your scary stat turns out to be just tabloid fuel, then no apology needed. No drama. Instead, you'll come to Albania – as my guest of honour ... And all I ask in return is the simplest public pledge from you, made while enjoying our country: next time someone badmouths Albanians, you'll be the first to tell them – in your histrionic way – not to do it again.'
https://t.co/5yfTLPfoAB
Ooopsss… Mr. @Nigel_Farage himself has just challenged me on the facts!
What an honor — for a "giant man," as he described me (meaning, of course, from a "tiny country") — to earn the attention of Britain's unrivaled virtuoso of headline politics.
He…
— Edi Rama (@ediramaal) June 27, 2025
Speaking to The Telegraph, Mr Farage said he would take up the challenge. 'We will hold Edi Rama to his pledge!' he said.
The statistic Mr Farage cited was first reported by The Telegraph when the newspaper compiled a league table of nations based on data from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This showed there were 10,435 foreign nationals in jails in England and Wales compared to 76,866 British nationals. Nations with fewer than 20 people in UK jails were excluded because of the low sample size.
This was cross-referenced with ONS 2021 census data, from which was extracted the number of foreign nationals from each country who do not have a UK passport. There may be some margin for error as some foreign nationals could have been granted citizenship but not applied for a passport.
The Albanian imprisonment rate was 232.33 per 10,000 people – or one in 50. This was calculated based on the census data showing 68,672 foreign-born Albanians lived in the UK. Excluding the 15,860 without a UK passport gives a total of some 52,000. With 1,227 in jail, it equates to two per cent of Albanians.
The original spark for the row was Mr Farage's attack on Mr Rama after the socialist leader criticised post-Brexit Britain. He said Sir Keir Starmer's plan to send failed asylum seekers abroad to hubs in Europe demonstrated that post-Brexit Britain is in 'a very dark place'.
Mr Rama said Britain was 'looking for places to dump migrants' – a concept he claimed would have been unthinkable a decade ago.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
14 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Rod Stewart branded ‘grotesque' amid support for Reform UK
In an interview with The Times, Sir Rod showed his support for Reform UK, sharing: 'I've read about (Sir Keir) Starmer cutting off the fishing in Scotland and giving it back to the EU. That hasn't made him popular. 'We're fed up with the Tories. We've got to give Farage a chance. He's coming across well. Nigel? What options have we got? 'Starmer's all about getting us out of Brexit and I don't know how he's going to do that. Still, the country will survive. It could be worse. We could be in the Gaza Strip.' Sir Rod's comments come ahead of his Glastonbury Legends set on Sunday, June 29 and has sparked debate amongst his fans on social media. Sir Rod Stewart branded 'grotesque' amid Farage comments Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one fan of Sir Rod wrote: 'To agree that Farage needs a chance is grotesque.' Another comment on X read: 'Stupid thing to say' as a third wrote: 'Rod Stewart has come out for Farage? Oh mate.' One more X user said they disagree with Sir Rod's comments but still respect the singer: 'No not giving Farage a chance, but respect what Rod Stewart has done and his career.' In the interview with The Times, Sir Rod admitted that his wealth ensures 'a lot of it doesn't really touch me'. Insisting that he is not out of touch, and expressed his support for Ukraine, criticising US President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance for their treatment of Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky on his visit to the White House, and Gaza. Recommended Reading 'It's depressing, what's going on in the Gaza Strip,' he said. 'Netanyahu doesn't realise that this is what happened to his people under the Nazis: total annihilation. And Trump is going to turn the Gaza Strip into Miami?' Stewart said a prolonged bout of flu, which forced him to cancel five shows in the US, nearly forced him to withdraw from a Glastonbury appearance he described to ITV as his 'World Cup final'. He confirmed he will be joined at Glastonbury by former Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood, Simply Red's Mick Hucknall and Lulu, as well as performing the song Powderfinger by Saturday headliner Neil Young.
Glasgow Times
14 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Labour rule in Wales taken for granted and under threat at Senedd poll
Baroness Eluned Morgan warned in her speech to the Welsh Labour conference that the Senedd elections will be a 'moment of reckoning' as Nigel Farage's party are 'rising', prompting people to ask 'big, serious questions about what kind of future they want for Wales'. Reform is looking to end Labour's 26 years of domination at the Senedd elections in May next year. Labour performed poorly in this year's local elections in England, which saw Mr Farage's party win a swathe of council seats. 'I think they're the biggest threat to Wales and our way of life,' Baroness Morgan told the PA news agency. 'I think people take Labour for granted in Wales. It's something that, you know, there's an expectation that we'll always be in power. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage spoke at a press conference in Port Talbot earlier this month (PA) 'So the things that are real in people's lives today, like free prescriptions, free parking in hospitals, free school meals for children in school. All of these things are political choices, and Reform would make different political choices.' Asked if she felt the best way to counter the threat of Reform in the elections was to shift to the left, she said: 'What I'm clear is that we've got to stay true to the values of Welsh Labour. 'And the values of Welsh Labour are consistent with the red Welsh way … and there are times when we will be in a different place from the UK. 'And yes, I think the political centre of gravity in Wales is further to the left than throughout the UK.' Port Talbot's remaining blast furnaces were shut down in September (PA) She had earlier accused Mr Farage of 'peddling fantasies about sending people's grandchildren down coal mines and reopening blast furnaces' while the Welsh government deals with the 'cost of industrial decline'. Mr Farage has said his party wants to restart Port Talbot's blast furnaces, which were shut down in September, with a new electric arc furnace being built in their place. The Prime Minister warned in his own speech that Mr Farage 'isn't interested in Wales' and has no viable plan for Port Talbot's blast furnaces. Sir Keir Starmer said the Reform leader has 'no idea what he's talking about' when it comes to the furnaces, and has 'no plan at all'. Sir Keir was critical of Reform UK's plans for Wales (Welsh Labour TV/PA) The Prime Minister had earlier warned of the prospect of the Tories, Reform UK and Plaid Cymru forming a coalition in the Senedd in what he called a 'backroom stitch-up'. The elections to the Senedd will use a proportional system for the first time, meaning coalitions are likely. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out making deals with Plaid Cymru or Reform. The Prime Minister said it would risk a 'return to the chaos and division of the last decade' and risk rolling back the progress his party is starting to make. It would be 'working families left to pick up the bill', he added. 'Whether that's with Reform or with Plaid's determination to cut Wales off from the rest of the country, with no plan to put Wales back together,' he said.
Daily Mail
19 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Keir Starmer says fixing welfare is 'a moral imperative' but claims he will not 'take away the safety net' from the vulnerable
Fixing the welfare system is a 'moral imperative', Sir Keir Starmer has said - as he warned that a generation of young people have been written off for good. The Prime Minister said, however, in a speech today that his party will take action in a ' Labour way' and not remove the 'safety net' that vulnerable people rely on. Sir Keir's comments at the Welsh Labour conference come after he was forced into a humiliating climbdown on welfare reforms in the face of a backbench rebellion. He was said to have have handed them 'massive concessions' in a bid to avoid defeat in a crunch vote on benefit cuts next week. The concessions are understood to include the watering down of reforms to personal independence payments (PIP), which would have particularly hit vulnerable people. The Prime Minister said today: 'We cannot take away the safety net that vulnerable people rely on, and we won't, but we also can't let it become a snare for those who can and want to work. 'Everyone agrees that our welfare system is broken: failing people every day, a generation of young people written off for good and the cost spiralling out of control. 'Fixing it is a moral imperative, but we need to do it in a Labour way.' He called Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan a 'fierce champion' and 'the best person to lead Wales into the future' to applause and cheers from the audience. Baroness Morgan had publicly criticised the welfare plans and called for Sir Keir to change tack on restrictions on winter fuel payments, which he also eventually reversed. Sir Keir Starmer told the BBC she was 'right to raise concerns' and promised to 'deliver on those as far as we can'. In her speech to the conference, Baroness Morgan said she was pleased the Government listened to her concerns and reversed planned welfare cuts. 'I'm glad the UK Government is a listening government and they heard our concerns and changed their approach to welfare cuts,' she said. 'We were really concerned about the impact these changes could have on some of our poorest and most vulnerable communities, and we made that clear to our colleagues in Westminster. 'And I am really glad they listened because that decision brings huge and welcome relief to thousands of people in Wales who rely on this support to live with dignity.' Farmers gathered outside the conference in Llandudno to protest ahead of Sir Keir's speech, with about 20 tractors parked on the promenade in the north Wales resort town by late morning. Later, some 150 protesters joined a march for Palestine outside the conference, walking solemnly to the venue where they stood for a few minutes to the beat of a drum. A small group of pro-Israel protesters shouted 'free the hostages' and held signs saying 'free Gazans from Hamas'. Sir Keir also said any deal between the Tories, Reform UK and Plaid Cymru at next year's key elections in Wales would amount to a 'backroom stitch-up'. The elections to the Senedd will use a proportional system for the first time, meaning coalitions are likely. The Prime Minister said it would risk a 'return to the chaos and division of the last decade' and risk rolling back the progress his party is starting to make. He told the Llandudno conference it would be 'working families left to pick up the bill'. 'Whether that's with Reform or with Plaid's determination to cut Wales off from the rest of the country, with no plan to put Wales back together,' he said. 'I know that these are the parties that talk a big game, but who is actually delivering?' Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out making deals with Plaid Cymru or Reform at the next Senedd election. Reform UK is eyeing an opportunity to end Labour's 26 years of domination in the Welsh Parliament. Labour performed poorly in this year's local elections in England, which saw Nigel Farage's party win a swathe of council seats. Sir Keir also took aim at Nigel Farage, calling him a 'wolf in Wall Street clothing' who has 'no idea what he's talking about'. He said the Reform UK leader 'isn't interested in Wales' and has no viable plan for the blast furnaces at Port Talbot.
