Farage Claims Sex Offenders Among 20,000 Afghans Airlifted UK, Healey Denies

Nigel Farage has ignited controversy by claiming that convicted sex offenders are among the nearly 20,000 Afghans secretly airlifted to the UK following a Ministry of Defence data leak that exposed their identities, a move he says endangers women's safety and has cost £7 billion. Defence Secretary John Healey firmly denied these allegations, emphasizing that all individuals brought in under the resettlement schemes have undergone thorough security and criminal record checks, and called on Farage to provide any hard evidence to the police. The secret relocation scheme, launched after a 2022 data breach that risked Taliban reprisals against those named, has so far brought thousands of Afghans to the UK, with costs estimated around £850 million, significantly less than Farage's claim. Despite assurances that security vetting was rigorous, Healey acknowledged that some relocated Afghans might commit offenses, reflecting crime trends in the wider population, but rejected any suggestion that known sex offenders were purposely admitted. The controversy has drawn criticism from both Labour and Conservative politicians, who demand evidence from Farage and defend the government's handling of the resettlement amid the complex humanitarian and security challenges. The scandal also revealed flaws in government data protection practices and underscored the delicate balance between safeguarding vulnerable individuals and maintaining national security.