Nigel Farage criticised over “deeply troubling” call to prosecute charities that help asylum seekers to reach the UK
A human rights lawyer has called Farage's "dangerous threats […] legally ignorant and morally objectionable"
Nigel Farage has been criticised over his “deeply troubling” comments saying that charities that help asylum seekers to reach the UK should be prosecuted.
Speaking to the right-wing US commentator Benny Johnson on his podcast, ‘The Benny Show’, Farage said he agreed with the idea of prosecuting charity workers who help asylum seekers.
Johnson asked: “Do you believe in criminal penalties for those who facilitated this invasion of the English Isles?”.
Farage responded: “Totally, totally. The role of the NGOs, the role of those that are sponsored by taxpayers’ money, because they’re nice, they’re good, they’re kind.
“They have actually aided and abetted criminality in absolutely every way.”
The Reform leader added: “These are people [who are] are deluded – deluded, hard-left socialist Marxists, who don’t believe in countries, don’t believe in borders, don’t believe in identities, are intent on destroying everything that exists.”
Farage has not said which charities he would be in favour of prosecuting, but has previously criticised the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), calling the charity a “migrant taxi service” despite its rescue missions making up a small proportion of its work.
Shoaib M Khan, a lawyer who specialises in human rights and immigration, told Left Foot Forward that Farage’s “dangerous threats are legally ignorant [and] morally objectionable”, emphasising that “these charities carry out vital humanitarian work”.
Khan added: “UK law does not criminalise charities for helping asylum seekers, and nor should it.
“Organisations providing transport, food, shelter, legal advice and lifesaving rescue services are carrying out humanitarian work, not committing a crime. Any decent or humane government would support and further strengthen such organisations.”
He added: “Farage’s remarks are therefore deeply troubling.”
The Immigration Act 1971 provides a defence for specified assistance to people in danger or distress at sea.
The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 also provides reasonable-excuse defences where an activity is undertaken to rescue someone from danger or on behalf of a qualifying organisation.
Khan continued: “Portraying these organisations as criminal enterprises, and their workers as ‘deluded, hard-left socialist Marxists’ is a political attack on humanitarian work, not a serious argument.”
“Labelling them in this way risks further endangering these devoted people who are simply trying to stop others from drowning or to help those fleeing persecution.
“Charities should be judged by their actions, not demonised for helping asylum seekers. Saving lives and treating people with dignity should never be conflated with criminality, even by parties such as Reform UK.”
An RNLI spokesperson said: “The RNLI has existed for over 200 years with the core purpose to save lives at sea, and we remain focused on this.
“We will continue to rescue anyone in need without prejudice or fear and where appropriate, in the 1.2% of launches we attend in the English Channel, hand casualties over to the relevant authorities.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
Left Foot Forward doesn't have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.
Donate today
