Vodafone defends migrant SIM scheme after Reform threat
Vodafone has defended its charity SIM card programme after Reform UK threatened the telecoms giant with government contract bans and its bosses with prison over thousands of cards distributed through Care4Calais.
The telecoms group said its programme provides SIM cards to registered UK charities for distribution to vulnerable people in Britain, after Reform shadow home secretary Zia Yusuf demanded it cancel 2,221 cards handed out by the refugee charity.
“VodafoneThree’s programme provides mobile SIMs to registered UK charities for distribution in the UK,” a spokesperson told Morning Wire. “Participating charities are regulated by the Charity Commission. All calls, texts and data are for UK use only.”
Care4Calais disclosed in its annual report that volunteers had distributed 2,221 Vodafone SIM cards alongside thousands of items of clothing as part of its work supporting refugees and asylum seekers.
Yusuf has written to Vodafone chief executive Margherita Della Valle and its board demanding that the company cancel the cards and terminate its relationship with Care4Calais.
He has also called for Vodafone to hand tracking data associated with the SIMs to British and French authorities to help tackle illegal Channel crossings, and conduct a wider review of its relationships with non-profit organisations.
“Vodafone’s CEO is paid £10m a year while her company hands thousands of SIM cards to illegal migrants in Calais,” Yusuf said.
“I have given her and Vodafone’s board the opportunity to publicly disavow this activity and cut ties with Care4Calais.”
Vodafone’s stressed that the connectivity supplied through the programme is restricted to use in the UK, pushing back against the suggestion that the cards themselves could be used to facilitate Channel crossings.
Yusuf: Vodafone boss ‘will face prison’
The row has opened another front in Reform’s plans to toughen penalties on companies and individuals it believes are helping people enter Britain illegally.
The party has proposed what it calls ‘Polanski’s Law’, under which aiding illegal entry would become a strict liability offence. Reform says this would allow sanctions regardless of the intent behind the assistance provided.
Yusuf said that under a Reform government, Vodafone executives could face criminal sanctions if the company knowingly facilitated illegal entry.
“Those responsible, including Vodafone’s CEO and company directors, will face criminal sanctions and prison,” he said.
“The company would be removed from government contracts and face regulatory sanctions.”
Yusuf separately warned that Vodafone could be excluded from defence, national security and emergency services contracts and have equipment removed from sensitive networks.
Care4Calais has defended its work supporting refugees and people seeking asylum. Responding to reports about the SIM cards, the charity told supporters it was “proud of this work” and “proud to stand with refugees and people seeking asylum”.
Vodafone has not commented on whether it intends to cancel the cards or end its relationship with Care4Calais.