Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and prominent British politician and staunch Brexit advocate Nigel Farage have engaged in a heated debate on X (formerly Twitter) regarding crime rates among the Albanian population in the United Kingdom.
The Spark: Rama’s Critique of Post-Brexit Britain
The online spat was ignited by Rama’s criticisms of the UK after its departure from the European Union. After Rama told The Guardian that Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plan to send rejected asylum seekers abroad shows Britain is in “a very dark place” post-Brexit, Farage responded in his characteristic manner: by stigmatizing the Albanian community in Britain.
Farage publicly called on Rama to “take back his criminals.”
“You know what, Mr. Rama, did you know that one in 50 Albanians in Britain is in prison? So show a little goodwill and take them all back tomorrow, because this is hypocrisy,” Farage declared.
Rama’s Rebuttal: Calling for “Real Numbers”
Rama quickly retorted on his official X account, urging Farage to use “real numbers” instead of “a classic from the Brexit post-truth playbook: If it sounds scary, it must be true.”
“Guess what? When the numbers are actually run — surprise! — even if we assume every Albanian currently in jail is guilty (and actually, many are trapped in an outdated and restrictive visa system), the crime rate among Albanians in the UK would be no higher than — and probably lower than — that of the British population itself,” Rama pointed out.
He then challenged Farage: “If your ‘one in 50’ claim holds water — I will personally commit to taking them all back (…) That is a public commitment. But if your scary statistic turns out to be just tabloid fodder, then no apology needed. No drama. Instead, you’ll come to Albania — as my honored guest. You’ll get real sunshine, real hospitality, and even more real facts — about Albania and its brilliant people. And all I ask in return is the simplest public pledge from you, given while enjoying our country: next time someone smears Albanians, you’ll be the first to tell them — in your theatrical way — not to do it anymore.”
Farage Accepts the Challenge, Rama Doubles Down on Data
Farage accepted the challenge and presented his figures: “There are 53,000 Albanian nationals in the UK, and 1,099 are in our prisons. That is actually 1 in 48. I will ask the Home Secretary to arrange for all these prisoners to be returned to you. Thank you for your cooperation.”
Rama, however, countered that numbers are not Farage’s strong suit and dismissed his “census” of Albanians in Britain as “particularly ridiculous.”
“You claim there are 53,000. In reality, that number is far higher — many times higher. But let’s stick to your source: The Telegraph, which first proclaimed the ‘one in 50’ theory and later admitted: The analysis likely underestimated the size of the Albanian population because it did not account for illegal migrants, including the more than 12,000 who arrived by small boats in 2022. Some estimates suggest that the real Albanian population could be as high as 140,000 — which would mean less than one in 100 are in prison,” the Albanian Prime Minister highlighted.
He then questioned the British right-winger on how many Albanians are actually convicted of crimes unrelated to Britain’s “outdated immigration and visa system.”
“Yes, numbers can be boring — but they are also stubborn. And when someone constantly misinterprets them, the real question is: Why persist?” Rama asked.
Farage retorted that since Rama claims there are thousands of illegal migrants in Britain, it means the number of criminals in the Albanian community is not one in 50, but perhaps one in three or four. “I accept Prime Minister Edi Rama’s invitation to visit Albania as his honored guest. We will discuss the return of Albanian prisoners,” Farage sarcastically replied.
Rama responded that Farage seemed determined to persist in error and therefore offered further clarification.
“According to data from the Albanian Embassy in the UK, an institution that deals with real people, not Brexit catchphrases, the number of Albanians in your country is not 53,000, as The Telegraph originally suggests. In fact, in that same article, it admits, and I quote, ‘the analysis likely underestimated the size of the Albanian population.’ It then speculates that the number could be as high as 140,000. In reality, Mr. Farage, guess what? The number is well over 300,000, man! These are people teaching your children, building your homes, caring for your elderly and sick. They are not fodder for post-Brexit brainwashing propaganda. They are part of the living, breathing fabric of your society,” Rama emphasized.
He also assessed that Farage’s statements are not statistics, but “scare tactics disguised as data.”
“So let me ask you openly: why is it so hard to admit you were wrong, without dragging an entire community of brilliant, hardworking people who serve your homeland with dignity as if it were their own through the mud?” Rama questioned, reiterating his invitation for Farage to visit Albania and sharing a humorous AI-generated illustration of himself and the British politician enjoying an Adriatic beach wrapped in each other’s flags.
