Reform UK Proposes Mandatory Whole-Life Sentences for Child Rapists if Elected
Reform UK has announced plans to impose mandatory whole-life prison sentences for those convicted of raping children if the party is elected. This policy, revealed by Reform UK's head of policy Zia Yusuf, aims to enforce no parole on such offenders as part of a wider crackdown on grooming gangs.
The proposed plan includes mandatory minimum sentences for historic child sexual abuse cases to ensure proportionate sentencing. Under current UK law, life sentences for these crimes are at a judge's discretion, with offence ranges from six to 19 years for offences against children under 13.
Whole-life orders differ from standard life sentences in that they do not allow for release and are reserved for the most serious cases, with 70 whole-life prisoners recorded in the UK as of March 2025. Notable examples include Lucy Letby, Wayne Couzens, and Ali Harbi Ali.
Additionally, Reform UK claims that their approach would free up prison capacity through deporting foreign criminals and constructing new 'Nightingale prisons.'
Ministry of Justice data show that there were 677 convictions for rape of children under 16 in 2024, highlighting the extent of these crimes and the focus of Reform UK's proposed reforms.
