How RNLI criticism by Reform UK backfired
RNLI is not a political organisation. Yet when Border Force is not available, it’s often called out by the Coastguard to rescue refugees in the English Channel, and sometimes has saved people from drowning, including children. It says it does ‘not pick who it saves’, volunteer jobs are simply to save lives.
Learn more about how to help our heroic lifeboat crews (and how to keep dogs safe by the sea).
Some Reform UK politicians have criticised RNLI (criticised the RNLI – our national heroes!) for rescuing migrants, claiming the charity was acting as a ‘taxi service’ for illegal boat migrants in the channel. The RNLI replied that crossings are do to with politics, and their volunteers are not going to leave someone to drown, just to please certain groups in society.
The public criticism massively backfired, triggering a massive wave of public support. And saw donations surge by up to 3000%. It also ended up with a crowdfunding campaign to buy a new emergency rescue hovercraft, with plans to name it The Flying Farage!
The organiser writes that all donations are ringfenced, so it’s up to RNLI what to do with the money raised. But ‘there’s a good chance that donations will help the very people that Farage and others love screaming at in the channel’.
