Nigel Farage says Reform UK will halve crime in five years by scrapping HS2, net zero, and renting jail cells in El Salvador

Nigel Farage has launched a staggering £17 billion plan to halve crime in Britain, unveiling a tough-on-crime manifesto that includes deporting thousands of foreign criminals, building five new “Nightingale” prisons, and even outsourcing inmates to jails in El Salvador and Estonia.

Speaking at a fiery press conference in London, the Reform UK leader slammed successive governments for turning Britain into a “degraded” society where people are “scared to go to the shops.”

Farage pledged to be tougher than any government in modern history on law and order. “We will take back control of our streets, our courts, and our prisons,” he declared. “If you’re a criminal, I am putting you on notice: obey the law or face very serious justice.”

A three-page policy document released by Reform costed the proposals at £3.48 billion per year. That includes £2.1bn to hire 30,000 more “physically tougher” police officers, £1bn to create over 12,000 prison places, and £250m annually to rent cells overseas. Another £80m would fund 100 mobile custody centres in crime hotspots across the UK.

The total cost over five years exceeds £17bn—money Farage said would come from abolishing the HS2 rail project and abandoning the UK’s Net Zero commitments.

“The HS2 project is an utter disaster. The Tories are ready to waste £50bn to £70bn more on it, while violent criminals walk free,” Farage said. “It’s a disgrace.”

He claimed the UK faces a “societal collapse” due to rising crime, slamming Westminster politicians for failing to get a grip on the crisis. “No one in London understands how close we are to civil disobedience,” he warned, referencing recent protests outside an asylum hotel in Essex.

Under his vision, Reform-run councils would be required to host the five new prisons if deemed suitable, and law enforcement officers would be held to a new, tougher physical and behavioural standard.

Farage revealed he was already in talks with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama about sending prisoners abroad and floated Kosovo and Estonia as serious options. However, when pressed on El Salvador’s controversial prisons and human rights concerns, he backed off slightly, calling it “an extreme example.”

Still, he remained adamant: “We are serious. Our courts will convict, and if there’s no space here, prisoners will go abroad.”

Farage’s plans mark a dramatic escalation of the party’s law-and-order stance, positioning Reform as the most hardline party on crime in modern British politics.

The Reform leader also addressed his defence of James McMurdock, the now ex-MP who quit the party whip after his assault conviction and COVID loan scandal were exposed. “He had rehabilitated. He changed his life. And yes, we believe in rehabilitation too,” Farage said.

But the focus of the day remained firmly on punishment. “The public are fed up. They want action. And we will deliver it,” Farage thundered.

Whether his tough talk translates into votes remains to be seen—but with polls tightening and public anxiety about crime rising, Farage’s gamble to outflank both Labour and the Tories on law and order may prove a potent one.