Reform UK has encountered disagreement within its ranks regarding the placement of transgender prisoners following remarks from its newly appointed justice adviser.
Vanessa Frake, a former prison governor who will counsel the party on criminal justice matters, said she opposes automatic exclusion of trans women from female prisons.
The adviser argued that decisions should involve individual risk evaluations rather than wholesale prohibitions. “People who want to just [see] a blanket ban clearly have never stepped foot in a prison and seen how prison runs and see [how] risk assessments on individuals happen,” she told The Times.
Frake emphasised her belief in treating all individuals with “humanity and decency,” whilst acknowledging she lacks specialist knowledge about transgender issues.
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Rupert Matthews reacted to Vanessa Frake’s comments
The party’s newest recruit from the Conservative benches has distanced himself from these comments. Rupert Matthews, who recently switched allegiances, firmly rejected the possibility of housing trans women in female prisons.
“If I thought Reform were woke, I would not have joined them,” Matthews declared.
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He clarified his personal stance: “I wouldn’t put trans women into a women’s prison, but you’ve got to work through the process of drawing up policies.”
Matthews acknowledged that Reform currently lacks formal policy on this issue. He explained that the party has established a body to examine various policy options before reaching final decisions.
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Rupert Matthews joined Martin Daubney on GB News
The former Conservative emphasised that Frake was expressing personal views rather than representing official party positions, similar to how he speaks independently in his role as Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire.
Reform UK’s official position remains unclear, with a party spokesperson confirming to PoliticsHome that Frake’s perspective does not constitute party policy. The spokesperson indicated the party sees no issue with advisers holding differing views from the official line.
When questioned about the matter at Monday’s Westminster press conference, party leader Nigel Farage avoided taking a definitive stance. “I personally never worked in a prison, so I can’t answer [that],” he said, suggesting those with prison experience would emphasise risk assessment procedures.
Farage had previously criticised what he termed “transgender indoctrination” in Britain this February. However, he has also highlighted transgender individuals who served as elected representatives in UKIP, his former party, when defending his record on trans rights.
Reform prison tsar says trans cases should be assessed ‘on an individual basis’
The disagreement occurs against the backdrop of existing Government policy on transgender prisoners. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has maintained the previous Conservative administration’s approach, which bars trans women convicted of rape or serious violence who retain male genitalia from women’s prisons.
Prison service figures for 2023-24 reveal 295 transgender inmates across England and Wales. Of these, 244 were housed in male facilities whilst 51 were in female prisons.
The Supreme Court determined earlier this year that references to “man”, “woman” and “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act relate to biological sex. This ruling permits the exclusion of trans women from female-only spaces, including prisons.
Conservative MP Rebecca Paul has campaigned for removing biological males from women’s prisons, specifically calling for seven individuals at HMP Downview in Banstead to be relocated.
Mahmood responded that these prisoners occupy a transgender-only unit within the facility.
