The government of Gibraltar has criticized Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party for not ruling out the possibility of sending asylum seekers to the territory. Sarah Pochin sparked controversy by refusing to confirm that the party would not deport migrants to British overseas territories, including the Falkland Islands. When pressed during a debate, Pochin stated that she would not exclude any potential policy regarding this matter.
Nigel Farage had previously promised to deport 600,000 individuals from the UK within five years if he gains power, although the destination for these deportations remains unclear.
In response, a spokesperson for Gibraltar’s government emphasized that immigration policy falls under the jurisdiction of the Gibraltar government, which has a firm stance against processing asylum seekers in the territory due to both policy reasons and space limitations.
During a debate on asylum hotels in Westminster Hall, Labour MP Luke Charters expressed concerns about the idea of using overseas territories for asylum processing. He called for assurances that the Falkland Islands would not be part of Reform UK’s asylum plan.
Charters directly asked Pochin if Reform UK would rule out using the Falkland Islands or Gibraltar for asylum processing. Pochin’s response reiterated that she would not eliminate any potential policy and declined further questioning.
Gibraltar, also known as The Rock, spans only 2.6 square miles in size.