Estonia Rejects UK Prisoner Rental | UK News

Estonia’s Justice Minister Liisa Pakosta has flatly rejected the UK’s proposal to rent prison cells, echoing Margaret Thatcher’s “No. No. No.” as she made it clear Estonia won’t house British inmates—even as the UK faces a prison crisis that could force early releases. Talks with Estonia earlier this year fizzled, and while Reform UK pushes for alternatives like El Salvador or Kosovo, the UK government warns such deals require years of complex legal and diplomatic work. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is racing to find immediate fixes, including expanding domestic capacity by September. Estonia, which hosts Swedish prisoners at great cost, and Lithuania have both shut the door; Kosovo remains the only potential option so far, already leasing cells to Denmark. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/15979c85a346f110