Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has set out the Immigration and Asylum Bill, described as the biggest asylum shake-up in decades, aiming to protect the system for a generation. The legislation, introduced to MPs on Tuesday, includes controversial measures such as requiring successful asylum seekers to repay up to £10,000 towards their accommodation and support costs once they start earning.
Backlash over 'performative cruelty'
The repayment plan has sparked a backlash, with Labour backbencher Kim Johnson calling it a "tax on refugees" and "performative cruelty." Critics warn the bill could create chaos for years to come, posing an early challenge for Prime Minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham, who is understood to have seen the bill's contents. The Home Secretary argues that tough action is needed to maintain public confidence in the asylum system and prevent the far-right from exploiting divisions.
Key changes to appeals and family rights
The bill will strip judges of the power to decide asylum appeals, replacing them with a new Independent Immigration Appeals Authority (IIAA) staffed by trained members of the public. The government claims this will help clear an appeals backlog of over 86,000 as of March. Additionally, changes to family circumstances—such as having a baby while in the system—will no longer be rewarded. Last-minute modern slavery claims will not prevent deportations in most cases; the Home Office reported 434 removals were frustrated by such claims last year.
Tougher rules for foreign criminals and human rights
The bill makes deporting foreign national offenders easier, applying tougher rules regardless of sentence length. Mahmood also targets abuse of human rights laws, particularly the right to family life under the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). Claims related to parents, spouses, and children under 18 will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances.
Mahmood defends the reforms
Mahmood stated: "Britain has always offered sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution. But this system only survives if the public trusts that it is fair, controlled, and not open to abuse. I will open new legal routes for genuine refugees, while closing loopholes that have been too often abused. My goal is simple: to ensure we have an asylum system not just today, but for generations to come."
Criticism from refugee charities
Imran Hussain, director of external affairs at the Refugee Council, said: "This is a Bill that could cause chaos in the Home Office and for the next Prime Minister for years to come. It would create a whole new architecture of bureaucracy... while ignoring the poor quality of initial decisions that is actually driving significant delays and costs." Mubeen Bhutta of the British Red Cross added: "We want to see an asylum system that is fair and compassionate, but it’s unclear how this bill will improve things. Many of the reforms... will make it harder for refugee families to be together and create more uncertainty."
