In a recent live television broadcast, Reform UK politician Robert Jenrick issued a forceful demand for the comprehensive publication of crime statistics categorized by nationality and immigration status, accusing both the current Labour government and previous Conservative administrations of deliberately suppressing the data.
During the interview, the host relayed frustrations from constituents who feel the government is actively hiding the rates and types of crimes committed by illegal migrants and foreign nationals. Jenrick seized the opportunity to position Reform UK as the party of transparency on the issue, promising that a Reform government would mandate the regular publication of such statistics.
“Let me be very clear,” Jenrick stated. “A Reform government will publish regular statistics of crimes committed in this country by nationality, visa status, asylum status, how you entered the country… so that this is there for everyone to see [to] end this cover-up that has been going on for years and years.”
Jenrick argued that this data is essential for informed policy-making, rather than being “some kind of think tank exercise.” He explicitly asserted that if the data indicates certain nationalities are disproportionately more likely to commit crimes, particularly violent or sexual offenses, the immigration system must be adjusted accordingly, suggesting that visas for those specific nationalities should be halted entirely.
When questioned on why previous and current governments have refused to publish this specific demographic breakdown, Jenrick accused them of fearing the political consequences of the truth. He claimed that politicians “don’t want to take the action that would follow” if the data confirmed public fears regarding migrant crime rates.
Jenrick, a former Conservative minister who defected to Reform UK, highlighted his past efforts to force the publication of this data. He stated that he previously brought forward amendments to mandate the release of these statistics, which were rejected by Conservative Home Secretary James Cleverly and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk. He further noted that the Labour government, under Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, also voted against a similar measure.
“People just keep knocking this back time and time again,” Jenrick argued. He challenged critics who accuse Reform UK of citing misleading statistics regarding migrant crime rates to simply release the official government data. “Give us the actual statistics then… allow daylight to shine on this, so people can have an honest debate,” he challenged.
Jenrick did note that the indicative data he has reviewed suggests a nuanced picture, mentioning that some foreign nationals, such as Indian nationals in the UK, appear less likely to commit crimes than native Britons. However, he maintained that the data would undeniably show that some nationalities pose a significantly higher risk for serious and violent crimes, concluding, “You’ve got to just have the honesty to say we just can’t let these people into the country.”
The interview highlights a continuing central strategy for Reform UK: leveraging public concern over immigration and crime to criticize the established political parties, accusing them of a lack of transparency and an unwillingness to enact strict border control measures.
