Police chief misleading on migrant crime - Farage

Nigel Farage has accused Essex Police's chief constable of "misleading" people about how many crimes are committed by asylum seekers.

The Reform UK leader said Rachel Nolan was "completely wrong" to say nobody should be concerned about criminality from migrants housed at a base in MDP Wethersfield in north Essex.

Nolan said crime linked to the accommodation near Braintree was "very low", with 15 offences since 2023 in which a member of the public was the victim and the suspect was identified as, or alleged to be, a Wethersfield "service user".

Essex Police has been contacted for comment.

Farage spoke to the BBC while patrolling with uniformed security guards funded by Reform-led Essex County Council in Chelmsford.

Operation Vanguard involves six trained and uniformed "security operatives" patrolling Chelmsford, Colchester and Braintree city centres seven days a week, from 10:00 to 18:00, as part of a three-month trial.

When asked what he thought of Nolan saying criminality associated with Wethersfield should not concern people, Farage said she was "completely wrong".

"The statistics from all over the country are eye-wateringly bad and I'm really sorry to say that comment she's made is deeply misleading," the Clacton MP said.

Farage added: "Let's face it, Wethersfield's not been open long."

In her interview with the BBC in September, Nolan had said: "Crimes and incidents associated with the Wethersfield site are very low.

"Certainly, as far as I've seen, there is absolutely no reason for anyone to be concerned about criminality associated with migrants from the Wethersfield camp."

Essex County Council said it launched Operation Vanguard in September in response to minibuses being used to take asylum seekers from Wethersfield for days out.

The trial is expected to cost almost £120,000.

Farage said it had helped to tackle shoplifting and one "quite serious" sexual assault.

"Whether it's people who've crossed the English Channel who are causing harassment and no good, or whether it's crime more generally, I think what Vanguard are doing is a fantastic job.

"I want to see this rolled out much more widely."

Farage also took aim at police forces more broadly, saying they had "given up" on catching shoplifters.

"The police do not fulfil the job, sadly, that they used to and if we can help in areas where we run the council in filling that gap, making people feel safer, it's a good thing," he added.

Essex Police figures show 13,675 shoplifting offences were recorded by the end of July, a drop of 7% on the year before.

The force has pointed to the use of advanced security cameras and criminal behaviour orders to deal with offenders.

It has been contacted for comment.

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