A Reform MP has sparked outrage after suggesting Royal Marines will be allowed to use "lethal force" in the Channel if Nigel Farage becomes Prime Minister. Robert Jenrick said permitting the Navy to endanger lives would solve small boat crossings "within a matter of days". He made the remark shortly after Mr Farage unveiled his plans to close the UK to asylum seekers - leading to criticism from religious leaders and human rights campaigners.
Lord Dubs condemns proposal
Lord Alf Dubs, a Labour peer who fled the Nazis as a child on the Kindertransport rescue effort, told The Mirror Mr Jenrick's words were "horrific". He said: "It's against international law to endanger lives at sea, all these things are horrific."
And Lord Dubs continued: "I think goes against all traditions, whatever Farage thinks about these people, they're people who are fleeing for their safety in this country." He said: "The idea of using force in this country and endangering their lives is totally, totally wrong."
Jenrick's remarks on Talk TV
Earlier Mr Jenrick, the party's pick to be Chancellor if Mr Farage gets into Parliament, told Talk TV: "What we are going to do, and we're the only political party that has the courage to say this, is deploy the Royal Marines into the Channel. If they need to use lethal force, then they'll be able to do so. That's obviously not what we want to see happen. We want to see these individuals picked up off the boats in a sensible and reasonable way, and taken straight back to France. But I think the problem would come to an end very, very quickly, within a matter of days."
Lord Dubs, who was six when he arrived in the UK from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, said Britain had led the way in protecting refugees, and said it was depressing that a mainstream party is now talking about closing the asylum system. He said: "I think it's very depressing that we've suddenly taken a step back. We took the lead in setting up the European Court of Human Rights and the Geneva convention, this is part of our British tradition, we believe that people should have a route to safety. I'm not saying we should take everybody, but we should play our part and not opt out of it."
Farage's asylum plans
And he added: "I think Farage is trying to make himself look like Trump." And he stated: "Most people do want action taken about the boats, but not the way Farage is suggesting, we should look at it internationally."
Mr Farage declared: "The country is currently facing a national security emergency and the first duty of government is to protect its citizens. We cannot accept more asylum seekers while we still have no idea how many people are in the country illegally and the threat they pose." He announced at a press conference in Dover that under Reform, all pending asylum cases would be rejected, with applicants then liable for deportation. Reform would also review the status of anyone who has been granted asylum since 2024 - with those coming from countries deemed safe losing their permission to remain in the UK.
And Mr Farage said all legal resettlement routes would also be abolished - except for those set up for Ukrainians in the wake of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. Reform has previously said that it plans to lead the country according to Judeo Christian values - but has come in for heavy criticism from religious leaders.
Reactions from campaigners and politicians
Rabbi David Mason, executive director at charity HIAS+JCORE told The Mirror: "Jewish values compel us to show solidarity and compassion to people who need this country's protection. Closing the UK's asylum system and refugee resettlement schemes would deny sanctuary to people fleeing war, persecution, and torture. There's nothing fair or responsible about that. The context is very different today, but our community understands all too well what it means to be denied safety. We're proud that Jewish communities across the country draw on our history and put values into action by showing welcome today. Any UK government should support and encourage that work, not make it harder."
Louise Calvey, executive director of Asylum Matters, said: "This meaningless clickbait is nothing new: it's the same lazy policy making that has already left our asylum system broken. The last Conservative Government banned asylum applications and look what it led to: a soaring asylum backlog, people trapped in limbo in crumbling converted hotels, and record-breaking irregular migration. Instead of another shambles in the making, it's perfectly possible to build an asylum system that works better for all of us, with safe routes, working rights and real support to let people rebuild their lives here in the UK - sadly, some politicians would rather ignore the evidence and keep recycling the same failed ideas."
Natasha Tsangarides, associate director of advocacy at Freedom from Torture, said: "Reform UK's proposal to suspend the asylum system for up to five years and mark everyone seeking sanctuary for deportation could risk sending people who have survived torture back into the hands of those who harmed them. The right to seek asylum exists because people sometimes have no choice but to flee their homes to escape danger. It cannot simply be discarded for political convenience. Blaming refugees and stripping away the safeguards that protect them is an age-old tool of authoritarianism. When the rights of some are weakened, the freedoms we all depend on become more vulnerable. We must stand together to defend the rights and protections that allow everyone to live free from harm."
Lib Dem MP Max Wilkinson, the party's home affairs spokesman, said: "Farage's asylum plans are borrowed straight from the Trump playbook. Slap countries with tariffs and visa bans, whilst turning away children who are fleeing war torn countries. They push for Brexit 2.0 as if the first Brexit was a success to build on, but we all know it was a disaster. The UK can only restore order, control and fairness by joining the EU migration and asylum pact."
