Government removes early release threshold
Foreign nationals convicted of crimes in the UK will be deported immediately after sentencing under new plans from Sir Keir Starmer’s government.
The move removes the current rule allowing deportation only after 30% of a sentence has been served, which itself was due to replace the 50% threshold from September.
Ministers said the change would cut prison overcrowding, save costs, and reduce reoffending. The policy will require legislation and apply to both current inmates and new convictions, though it will exclude life sentences for offences such as murder and terrorism.
Political pressure on crime policy
The announcement comes as Labour seeks to project a tougher stance on immigration and crime, facing pressure from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. Farage has pledged mass deportations and a major prison-building programme, including renting jail space overseas.
Government data shows 5,200 foreign offenders have been deported since July 2024, a 14% increase on the year before. Albanians make up the largest group, with foreign nationals accounting for about 12% of prisoners in England and Wales.
Overcrowding crisis drives action
Prison capacity in England and Wales is at 97.5%, with an independent review warning the system narrowly avoided collapse multiple times between late 2023 and mid-2024. The Ministry of Justice has spent £5mn deploying specialist staff to almost 80 prisons to speed up removals.
Labour has also controversially released some lower-risk prisoners early to free up space – a move criticised by right-wing parties demanding tougher sentencing and detention policies.
The government argues its new deportation plan balances public safety with the urgent need to ease pressure on the prison network.
