Charity Commission to condemn abuse of RNLI volunteers

Dame Julia Unwin, the Charity Commission's chairwoman, will address the charity commission RNLI intimidation row in a speech at the commission's AGM in central London today, denouncing the treatment of the lifeboat crews. She is expected to say: "I want to use this opportunity to condemn in the strongest terms the thuggery and intimidation that volunteers of the RNLI have faced".

According to her prepared remarks, Unwin will frame the lifeboat service's work as an obligation rather than a choice. "For the RNLI that means rescuing people in peril in the sea. It is not their right to do so. It is their absolute duty," she will say.

She is also expected to caution that violence against charity workers must not become routine, telling the sector: "But we must never grow accustomed to criminal or para-criminal abuse".

At the same time, Unwin will acknowledge that hostility to individual charities is not always out of bounds. Individual charities must accept that people might disapprove of their work "for reasons of values, politics, faith or identity", she will say.

Farage's criticism of groups helping asylum seekers

The backdrop to Unwin's speech is a campaign of abuse directed at the RNLI, which Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has previously called a "migrant taxi service".

Asked about criminal penalties for those who facilitated what he described as an invasion, Farage said NGOs and taxpayer-sponsored groups had "actually aided and abetted criminality in absolutely every way". He described people helping asylum seekers as "deluded – deluded, hard-left socialist Marxists, who don't believe in countries, don't believe in borders".

The consequences for the RNLI's crews have been direct. The charity had to temporarily pause its work at Portsmouth after a barrage of abuse from far-right groups and agitators who called the lifesavers "traitors" following rescues of asylum seekers on small boats.

Mahmood threatens Eritrea with entry ban over returns

In a parallel thread of the government's response to Channel crossings, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has warned Eritreans could be blocked from entering the UK unless Eritrea takes back more rejected asylum seekers and criminals. "Take back your nationals or face a complete ban on your citizens entering the UK," she said.

• VIPs and officials from Eritrea have already been stripped of fast-track access to UK visas after the government refused to cooperate with returns.
• The warning follows Eritrea's abrupt withdrawal of returns cooperation earlier this year, according to the Home Office.
• Eritreans were the most common nationality arriving by small boat in the year ending June 2026, with nearly 6,000 reaching the UK across the Channel, the highest of any nationality.
• Just over 100 refused Eritrean asylum seekers have been deported, less than 4% of the 2,626 people whose claims were rejected in the past four years.
• Similar visa sanction threats were made against Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2025; Angola and Namibia agreed to cooperate, and the DRC faced restrictions before a February agreement with the UK.

Mahmood signalled more steps may follow. "I will not hesitate to impose further measures on other countries refusing to cooperate," she said.

Refugee organisations have warned the UK should not reject Eritrean asylum applicants, pointing out that the country is war-torn and that the UK usually accepts the vast majority of applicants, who are often escaping famine and conflict.

Reform postpones announcement after ITV investigation

Farage has postponed a major announcement that was due to take place in Essex this morning after an ITV investigation aired, showing Reform councillors and candidates making threats of extreme violence and expressing racist, misogynistic views.

Three councillors have already stood down from the party, which said it was conducting an investigation. Among them is Alan Feeney, a Solihull councillor and deputy mayor, who called Asian homeowners "parasites" and said no more than 1% of the British population can be non-white. He has left Reform "for personal reasons".

Chris Whelan announced he had resigned from Reform on 12 October "on personal and health grounds". Jamie Campbell remains in post, and a Bromley councillor was recorded calling for King Charles to be killed.

The ITV investigation was year-long and included undercover filming of senior Reform politicians and officials at the party's UK headquarters. The party says it vets everyone standing for election.

Unwin's remarks are due at the Charity Commission AGM today in central London, while Mahmood has pledged further measures against non-cooperating countries and Reform's investigation into its councillors continues.