In one of his most revealing interviews yet, Robinson argues that when institutions avoid speaking plainly about migration, crime, and security, the public looks elsewhere for answers. The underlying issue, he stresses, is credibility. Rebuilding it requires direct communication, accessible data, and one standard of law applied consistently to everyone - regardless of status, background, or ideology. Without trust, even the best-designed policies will fail to guide behaviour effectively.
Borders and Integration
Small-boat crossings, prolonged asylum cases, and backlogs remain flashpoints in public debate. Robinson emphasises that sustainable policy must move beyond rhetoric and focus on measurable outcomes. Asylum claims should be decided quickly and lawfully, measured in weeks rather than years, with clearly inadmissible cases removed without delay. Safe but capped humanitarian routes are essential so the most vulnerable are not pushed into the hands of smugglers. At the same time, employer sanctions must be enforced so that illegal hiring carries real consequences.
Integration should be anchored in a national standard that prioritises language learning, employment, and civic education. Local authorities, schools, police, and the NHS need transparency in the form of published numbers, timelines, and funding formulas to plan effectively. Residents must see that fairness is enforced in practice rather than merely promised. Robinson argues that clear, transparent policy and consistent enforcement can prevent social tension from festering into frustration or division.
Prisons and Radicalisation
Robinson reflects on his time in prison and the wider implications for public safety. Reports of gangs exerting control inside prisons highlight a direct threat to society. He argues that government responses must be practical: zero tolerance for intimidation, intelligence-driven separation of high-risk organizers regardless of ideology, and tightly vetted access for chaplains, volunteers, and NGOs. High-risk wings should be monitored with body-worn video, and rehabilitation must include structured deradicalisation and exit programmes linked to privileges and parole. Authorities must publish precise data on assaults, staffing levels, and programme outcomes. Security in prisons, Robinson stresses, is not a culture war but a matter of management, workforce resilience, and measurable results.
Beyond the prison walls, strengthening democratic norms is equally essential. Online offences should be clearly defined so that violent acts are pursued rigorously while “hurtful words” are not treated more aggressively than physical crimes. Peaceful protests must be protected, communities shielded from intimidation, and crime should carry firm consequences regardless of who commits it. Progress, Robinson suggests, can be tracked through three public benchmarks: reducing the asylum backlog and reliance on hotel accommodation, cutting serious violence and repeat offending, and improving public confidence in the impartiality of police and courts. Meeting these standards would reduce public frustration and rebuild trust, while failure would deepen disillusionment and sustain the appeal of extreme rhetoric.
Closing the Gap
Robinson concludes that what the country needs is not theatrics but competence, candor, and consistent rules. By ensuring that every citizen is equally protected and equally accountable, institutions can restore credibility and close the trust gap that fuels anger, division, and reliance on extreme narratives. Transparent, evidence-based policy, enforced fairly and communicated clearly, is the pathway to a safer, more cohesive society.
Heike Claudia Petzer
Content Writer
