Thomas Mallon, the first Reform UK councillor on Kent County Council, criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pledge to “smash the gangs” responsible for illegal immigration, calling it a move to grab headlines.
He said Starmer “has no idea what he’s talking about” and doubted the practicality of the plan, particularly regarding cross-border arrests without proper international agreements.
Mallon spoke at Reform UK’s South East England conference, explaining his party’s alternative approach.
Instead of turning boats around or bringing migrants to England, he proposed rescuing people and returning them safely to France, citing maritime law and a past example where a group in distress was returned to France at the request of French authorities. He argued that this method would disrupt gang operations without risking lives.
According to Mallon, the current government measures, such as restricting smugglers’ access to phones, finances, and travel, lack effectiveness compared to Reform UK’s practical policies. He dismissed Starmer’s rhetoric, describing it as a way to attract attention without addressing the root causes of the issue.
Starmer, on the other hand, defended his proposed sanctions, including freezing the assets of those profiting from illegal migration, stating it’s crucial to “follow the money” to dismantle these networks. However, Mallon insisted that such policies won’t solve the problem and emphasized the need for realistic and safe solutions.
