Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick suggests Royal Marines could use force in Channel; leader insists it would only apply in self-defence.
A senior Reform UK politician has proposed that the Royal Marines be authorised to use “lethal force” against small boats carrying migrants across the English Channel, prompting widespread condemnation and a clarification from party leader Nigel Farage.
Robert Jenrick, Reform UK’s Treasury spokesperson and a former Conservative MP, told Media on Monday that a Reform government would deploy the Royal Marines to intercept boats and return them to France. “If they need to use lethal force, then they’ll be able to do so,” he said, adding that this was not the preferred outcome but that the problem “would come to an end in a matter of days.”
The remarks form part of Reform UK’s broader “Operation Fortress” plan to halt irregular Channel crossings. The party has previously said lethal force would be available “where lawful and necessary in self-defence or defence of others against an imminent threat to life.”
Farage Faces Backlash Over Migrant Boat Force Proposal:
Farage moved to clarify the position on Tuesday, telling LBC radio that Jenrick’s comments were being “utterly misconstrued.” He insisted that British forces would not routinely shoot at unarmed civilians. “Anybody wearing British military uniform who gets fired at has the right to respond,” Farage said. “We are dealing here with very, very serious international criminal organisations.”
He added that if Reform wins power, migrants would be picked up and returned to France, and that any initial resistance would be met with force. “Force will be met with force,” he said, predicting that crossings would stop within two weeks of such a policy being implemented.
The comments drew sharp criticism from the government. Defence Minister Luke Pollard described the proposal as “disgusting and illegal,” stressing that British armed forces “do not shoot unarmed civilians” and are not permitted to accept illegal orders. “We do not take military action against civilians,” he said.
Other Reform figures have also sought to qualify the language. Home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf said lethal force would only be used “in extremely limited circumstances where it is necessary to protect innocent life,” such as if people smugglers were armed.
Reform UK’s Hardline Migration Plans Spark Backlash:
The row comes as Reform UK intensifies its hardline stance on immigration. Farage has already announced plans to suspend the UK’s asylum system for up to five years if the party forms a government, a proposal that has been widely criticised by human rights groups and opposition politicians as unworkable and contrary to international law.
Campaigners and Labour figures have condemned the lethal-force rhetoric as dangerous and inhumane. Lord Alf Dubs, a Labour peer who fled the Nazis as a child, called the suggestion “horrific.”
Small boat crossings remain a highly charged political issue in Britain. While numbers have fluctuated, the arrival of people seeking asylum via the Channel continues to dominate debate, with parties offering sharply different solutions ranging from enhanced cooperation with France to more militarised responses.
Farage maintains that only a firm approach will deter the criminal gangs organising the crossings. Critics argue that talk of lethal force risks normalising violence against vulnerable people and could breach both domestic and international legal obligations.