Reform UK’s Richard Tice is under fire after suggesting that private security officers—essentially police lookalikes—could ‘top up’ local law enforcement.
His idea? Private teams would patrol towns, carry out citizen’s arrests, and even push for private prosecutions. He believes this would tackle shoplifting and anti-social behaviour more aggressively than the current system.
But many are asking: is this a step towards privatising policing?
Who Pays for This?
Tice argues these private teams wouldn’t come out of public funds. Instead, businesses and local councils could foot the bill through private investment.
“We can’t just keep whingeing,” he told Lincolnshire Live. “We have to come up with alternative solutions.”
He claims that towns like Boston, Lincolnshire, suffer from a perception problem—people think they’re unsafe, so they avoid them. His answer? More ‘visible, physical, and punchy’ deterrents.
Privatising More Than Just Policing?
Reform UK’s privatisation ideas don’t stop at law enforcement.
Party leader Nigel Farage has openly questioned how the NHS is funded, floating the idea of a French-style system where people pay into a health insurance scheme.
Meanwhile, Labour’s Andy Burnham has warned against taking Reform UK’s policies lightly.
“I think it’s right we start debating their positions more,” Burnham told The London Economic. “Farage has said he wants to get rid of the NHS and replace it with an insurance-based private system. I fundamentally oppose that.”
Burnham insists the NHS model is the best way to provide universal healthcare. He pointed out that the US spends 18% of its GDP on healthcare, compared to the UK’s less than 10%, yet millions of Americans still struggle to access treatment.
What’s at Stake?
A Labour source summed it up:
“The NHS being free at the point of use is non-negotiable. That’s a British value.”
They also warned that Farage’s proposed system could force people to pay hundreds—or even thousands—for essential treatments like hip replacements and cataract surgery.
So, while Tice wants to privatise crime-fighting, Farage seems happy to privatise healthcare.
The question is—how much of the UK’s public services should be up for sale?
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