The immigration and asylum bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday evening by 264 votes to 90, with Andy Burnham among the Labour MPs supporting the controversial legislation. The bill aims to reduce small-boat Channel crossings while expanding 'safe and legal routes' into the UK.
Key Provisions of the Bill
The legislation would tighten the application of article 8 of the European convention on human rights, which protects the right to private and family life, to reduce successful asylum appeals. It also replaces immigration judges with a new system of independent adjudicators to hear appeals, a change ministers argue will speed up decision-making and reduce backlogs.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced further amendments before the vote, including plans to remove a legal protection preventing the deportation of some long-term Commonwealth citizens convicted of serious crimes, such as the leader of the Rochdale grooming gang.
Government's Rationale
Opening the debate, Mahmood said the changes were necessary to restore public confidence in the asylum system while preserving Britain's commitment to those fleeing war and persecution. She stated: "This country has always provided sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution and I'm proud of that fact. But we must accept that public consent for our asylum system is fraying."
She highlighted that Labour had increased arrests of people smugglers by 55% since taking office, while asylum decisions were at a 24-year high and removals at their highest level in almost a decade. The government also reported that the number of people housed in asylum hotels had fallen by almost 30%.
Labour Dissent
The proposals prompted criticism from Labour backbenchers, who argued the measures risked creating a more restrictive and expensive asylum system. Nadia Whittome, the Labour MP for Nottingham East, voted against the bill, saying there was "little evidence" it would solve the problems it claimed to address. Stella Creasy questioned plans to reassess refugees' status every 30 months under a new "core protection" route, describing it as a "Diet Coke version of refugee status". Tony Vaughan, the Labour MP for Folkestone and Hythe, warned that poor Home Office decision-making, rather than the tribunal system, was driving the volume of appeals.
Conservative Opposition
The Conservatives also opposed the bill, arguing it did not go far enough. The shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, said leaving the European convention on human rights remained necessary to curb irregular migration, but his amendment to the legislation was defeated.
