The government of Gibraltar has criticized Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party for not ruling out the possibility of sending asylum seekers there. Sarah Pochin sparked controversy by refusing to confirm that migrants would not be deported to British overseas territories, including the Falkland Islands. When questioned during a debate, Pochin declined to dismiss the idea, stating, “No, I will not rule out any potential policy.”
Nigel Farage has previously promised to deport 600,000 individuals from the UK within five years if he gains power, but there is uncertainty about their destination. A spokesperson for Gibraltar’s government conveyed to national broadcaster GBC that immigration policy falls under Gibraltar’s jurisdiction, and they do not support processing asylum seekers there due to policy reasons and space constraints.
During a parliamentary debate on asylum hotels, Labour MP Luke Charters expressed concerns about using overseas territories for asylum processing, including the Falkland Islands. He urged Pochin to clarify if Reform UK would exclude the Falklands or Gibraltar from their asylum plans. Pochin reiterated her stance, refusing to rule out any potential policies and declined further questions.
Gibraltar, also known as The Rock, has a small area of only 2.6 square miles.
