Downing Street has publicly rebuked Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, intensifying an extraordinary Labour civil war over migration. The Home Secretary earlier barred Immigration Minister Mike Tapp from receiving government documents or holding official meetings without her approval. She also demanded that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer sack Mr Tapp.
Allegations of Leaks and Breaches
The conflict erupted after Mr Tapp allegedly threatened to leak “sensitive documents” concerning discussions about settlement rights reforms. In a national newspaper, he wrote that care workers should be excluded from restrictions on citizenship, which Ms Mahmood's camp claims was a breach of collective responsibility.
A source close to Ms Mahmood said: “Mike Tapp wrote a piece in a national newspaper freelancing on policy without the knowledge or agreement of the Home Secretary or her team. He took proposals that the Home Secretary was working on, and briefed them as his own. In doing so, he has broken collective responsibility and has breached the Ministerial Code. Now he is threatening to leak sensitive documents. The Home Secretary has asked the Prime Minister to sack him.”
Downing Street's Response
But a Downing Street spokesperson firmly rejected Ms Mahmood's stance, stating: “It is not for any individual Secretary of State to determine whether the Ministerial Code has been followed, it is a matter for the Prime Minister alone. Mike Tapp has been reminded of his obligations under the Ministerial Code, including collective responsibility and procedures relating to the clearance and presentation of government policy.”
Mr Tapp, a close ally of Sir Keir Starmer who has repeatedly defended the outgoing Labour leader, responded defiantly on social media. He vowed: “I won't be intimidated,” after Ms Mahmood urged the Prime Minister to sack him. In a brazen post, he mocked his accusers: “It's gone from 'he broke the ministerial code' to 'he stole my idea'.” He insisted the Times article simply outlined work he had been doing for months, adding: “I have put my views across on a policy I've been working on for months (I have the receipts). Give it a read, and let's continue to discuss. I won't be intimidated to drop my views. Stay classy!”
Broader Context of Migration Policy
The dispute comes as Ms Mahmood has vowed to overhaul settlement rules after 616,000 people arrived in the UK on health and care visas. The internal Labour battle over migration has also seen other tensions, including Andy Burnham warning that Labour chaos puts the UK's Brexit freedoms “at great risk,” and Reform winning seven by-elections, with Labour suffering a major defeat in one key vote.
