Estonia's justice minister rejects UK plan to send prisoners there

Estonian Justice Minister Liisa Pakosta told the BBC that Estonia does not rent out prison cells to other countries, dismissing the idea of taking in prisoners from the United Kingdom.

Her comments come even as Sweden is set to send prisoners to the half-empty Tartu Prison starting in August under an agreement already signed between the two countries.

UK parties have floated the idea

Both the Conservatives and Reform UK have proposed renting prison cells abroad, including in Estonia, to relieve overcrowding in prisons across England and Wales and to avoid releasing offenders early. The Labour Party also looked into the option in 2024, but its talks with Estonia did not lead anywhere.

Pakosta said Estonia has never actually received a formal proposal from the UK on renting prison space. She added that if one were made, the answer would be unequivocal, invoking Margaret Thatcher's famous words: "No. No. No." She said such a proposal would not just be misguided or unacceptable, but would deserve outright rejection.

UK grapples with overcrowding

Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government plans to release thousands of prisoners early this October in an effort to free up space in prisons operating at nearly full capacity. On Monday, a Downing Street spokesperson did not rule out renting foreign prison space when asked by reporters, but said the government's focus remains on building additional capacity domestically. The spokesperson noted that renting prison places abroad is not a quick fix, since it would require legislative changes based on a complex international agreement that could take years to negotiate.