Reform UK faces internal division over transgender prisoner policy after its newly appointed justice adviser contradicted the party’s latest high-profile defector during a Westminster press conference on Monday.
Vanessa Frake, the former prison governor of Wormwood Scrubs who oversaw high-profile inmates including Rose West and Myra Hindley, told reporters that trans women should not be automatically excluded from female prisons, arguing decisions should be made through individual risk assessments rather than “blanket bans.”
Her stance was immediately rejected by Rupert Matthews, the Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner who dramatically defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK at the same event, declaring: “If I thought Reform were woke, I would not have joined them.”
Frake Challenges ‘Blanket Ban’ Approach
Speaking at Reform UK’s crime policy launch, Frake emphasised the importance of case-by-case assessments for transgender prisoners. “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.
The veteran prison administrator, who joined the prison service in 1986 and authored the book “The Governor,” argued that “everybody who is in prison deserves to be treated with humanity and decency: that includes female prisoners and it includes trans prisoners.”
Frake acknowledged she lacks specialist expertise on transgender issues but insisted her position was based on decades of practical experience in prison management. “There are equally vile women as there possibly are trans women,” she stated, suggesting that biological sex alone should not determine placement decisions.
Matthews Firmly Rejects Adviser’s Position
The party’s newest recruit took a markedly different stance. Matthews, who had been a Conservative member for over 40 years before his defection, made his position clear: “I wouldn’t put trans women into a women’s prison, but you’ve got to work through the process of drawing up policies.”
The former MEP for the East Midlands, who has also authored books about UFOs and aliens, emphasised that Frake was expressing personal views rather than party policy. We speak independently,” he said, drawing parallels to his own role as Police and Crime Commissioner where he does not always represent official party positions.
Matthews told the Westminster gathering that the “dark heart of wokeness” needed to be cut out of the criminal justice system, positioning himself firmly against what he perceives as progressive policies on transgender issues.
Party Leadership Avoids Clear Position
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage declined to take a definitive stance when questioned about the disagreement at Monday’s press conference. “I personally never worked in a prison, so I can’t answer [that],” he said, suggesting those with prison experience would emphasise the importance of risk assessment procedures.
A Reform UK spokesperson confirmed to PoliticsHome that Frake’s views do not constitute party policy, indicating the party sees no issue with advisers holding views that differ from the official line. The party currently lacks a formal policy on transgender prisoners, with Matthews acknowledging that a policy body has been established to examine various options before reaching final decisions.
The disagreement highlights tensions within Reform UK as it attempts to position itself on contentious social issues whilst incorporating figures from different political backgrounds.
Current Government Policy Under Scrutiny
The internal Reform UK debate 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.
Mahmood recently defended a Supreme Court ruling that determined references to “man,” “woman” and “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act relate to biological sex, calling criticism of the judgment “absolutely unacceptable.” The ruling permits the exclusion of trans women from female-only spaces, including prisons.
Prison service data for 2023-24 reveals 295 transgender inmates across England and Wales, with 244 housed in male facilities and 51 in female prisons. One transgender-only unit exists at HMP Downview in Banstead, Surrey, designed for trans women deemed too high-risk for women’s prisons but also at risk in male facilities.
Conservative MP Campaigns for Removals
Conservative MP Rebecca Paul has actively campaigned for removing biological males from women’s prisons, specifically calling for seven individuals at HMP Downview to be relocated. She expressed disappointment with Frake’s position, stating she “disagrees [with Frake] and so does the law.”
Mahmood has confirmed that the seven prisoners in question are housed in the transgender-only unit at the facility, separate from the general female population. The Justice Secretary assured Parliament that “no trans women convicted of a rape or serious violence offence who retains birth genitalia would ever be considered for being placed in the women’s estate.”
Political Reactions and Mockery
The defection of Matthews, Reform UK’s first Police and Crime Commissioner, drew mixed reactions from political opponents. The Prime Minister’s political spokeswoman quipped: “Their big defection is very interesting, the fantastical and the unexplained. It’s no surprise he’s added Reform’s fiscal plans to that list,” referencing Matthews’ authorship of UFO-related books.
A Liberal Democrat source added: “Elected Conservatives are becoming more and more like UFOs themselves – they’re rarely if ever seen, and most people don’t believe in them.”
The area’s Conservative association called for Matthews to resign and contest a by-election as a Reform UK candidate, stating that “thousands of members and residents across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland who elected Rupert Matthews as a Conservative police and crime commissioner will feel let down.”
Broader Criminal Justice Reform Agenda
Beyond the transgender prisoner controversy, Frake outlined her vision for criminal justice reform during media appearances. Speaking on Times Radio, she called for bolstered prisoner rehabilitation and criticised successive governments for having “failed and failed miserably” on crime and punishment.
“At the moment we’re warehousing prisoners and we’re turning out better criminals into our society,” she warned, advocating for improved community services and substance misuse programmes outside prisons.
The disagreement over transgender prisoners represents an early test for Reform UK as it attempts to develop comprehensive policy positions whilst managing ideological differences among its growing roster of defectors and advisers. The party’s ability to reconcile these opposing views may prove crucial as it seeks to present itself as a credible alternative to the established parties.
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