Reform UK Criticizes Prison for Providing Citizenship Test Books to Foreign Inmates

Reform UK has accused the prison service of working against patriotic Britons after HMP Maidstone refused to remove books that assist foreign criminals in passing the Life in the UK Test, a requirement for obtaining British citizenship. The party's Home Affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, stated that "the establishment is working against patriotic British people" following the prison's decision to retain the study materials.

Reform UK wrote to HMP Maidstone's governor, Paul Mason, requesting the removal of books and practice papers related to the Life in the UK Test. The party highlighted that these materials were purchased for inmates using taxpayer funds. Governor Mason denied the request, citing the prison library's purpose to "support education, literacy, personal development and rehabilitation." He further noted that the study materials posed no security, safety, good order, discipline, or public protection concerns and were not subject to any national restrictions, thus providing no policy basis for their removal.

Current guidelines permit individuals to apply for British Citizenship even after serving prison sentences of up to four years, provided the offenses are not minor.

This dispute follows Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's earlier announcement of plans to deport foreign nationals in British jails to El Salvador if his party comes to power. Farage claimed that deporting 10,800 foreign prisoners would clear prison space and save money, as incarceration in the UK is expensive.

Yusuf criticized the situation, stating, "Taxpayers will be shocked to learn they are being forced to help foreign criminals get British citizenship." He attributed the availability of these books in prisons to the policies of both Conservative and Labour governments and reiterated his commitment, saying, "As Home Secretary I will deport every single prisoner in that jail."

At the recent Conservative party conference, the Conservatives pledged to deport "every foreign criminal" convicted of all but the most minor offenses, aiming to remove 40,000 offenders annually. The party asserted this would represent a "complete departure from 40 years of immigration law" and pointed to a more than 20% increase in serious foreign criminals residing in the UK under Labour's tenure, reaching 21,294.