Home Secretary Mahmood Urges Labour Left to Back Hardline Immigration Crackdown
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is set to deliver a stark warning to MPs on the left of her party, urging them to support her hardline immigration reforms. In a speech scheduled for Thursday, Mahmood will argue that the scale of small boat arrivals is "breeding fear" among the public and that her controversial plans are essential to maintaining trust in the state.
Reforms Face Significant Opposition
The sweeping changes, which include making refugee status temporary and introducing much longer waits for permanent residency, are facing significant opposition from campaigners and dozens of Labour MPs. Some critics have warned that the party risks becoming "Reform-lite" in its approach.
Mahmood has doubled down on the plans following Labour's humiliating third-place finish in the Gorton and Denton by-election, where the Greens won the seat and Reform came second. The Greens have described Mahmood's proposals as "extreme" and "inhumane."
"Not a Betrayal of Labour Values"
In her speech, the Home Secretary will insist that her reforms to the asylum system and permanent settlement are "not a betrayal of Labour values" but rather "an embodiment of them." She will position Labour as steering a middle path between Reform leader Nigel Farage's "nightmare pulling up the drawbridge and shutting out the world" and Green leader Zack Polanski's "fairytale of open borders."
Referring to irregular migration, Mahmood will add: "If we cannot deal with so visible a failure, what can the state achieve at all? It is our creed, as the Labour Party, that the state can and must be a force for good. Without the trust of citizens in the state, therefore, there is no space for Labour values - in any part of government - to be realised."
Critics Accuse Home Secretary of "Bullying Refugees"
Tim Naor Hilton, chief executive of Refugee Action, accused the Home Secretary of "bullying refugees for a bump in the polls" rather than addressing real problems like poverty, homelessness, and the rise of the far-right. Mubeen Bhutta of the British Red Cross warned that "there is little evidence to suggest that making life harder puts people off coming to the UK, when they have been forced to flee their homes."
Bhutta added: "These plans risk leaving men, women and children who have already endured the trauma of war and persecution in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to recover or plan for their future. We know through our work that there is a real danger that the changes will not only deprive refugees of the stability they need to rebuild their lives but could also push more people into poverty and homelessness."
Key Changes to Asylum Support
The Home Office has announced that support payments and accommodation for asylum seekers will be removed if they work illegally or have the ability to support themselves financially. Those who have the right to work or have broken the law will also see these benefits revoked.
This rule change, coming into force in June, replaces the statutory legal duty under EU law to provide asylum seekers with support and accommodation with a conditional approach. As of 31 December 2025, there were 107,003 asylum seekers receiving housing or financial support from the Home Office, with 30,657 living in migrant hotels and 72,769 in other accommodation like houses of multiple occupancy.
Migration Statistics and Political Context
While the number of people arriving in the UK on small boats rose by 13% year-on-year to 45,774 in 2025, this remains lower than the 2022 peak. More than 100,000 people claimed asylum in the UK last year, slightly down on the year before but still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Net migration to the UK dropped by two-thirds in the 12 months to June 2025, driven by a huge drop in people coming for work or study. Net migration was estimated at 204,000 - down 69% from 649,000 a year earlier and the lowest annual figure since 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics.
However, Mahmood will warn that these numbers are fuelling the rise of the far-right, stating: "When people see small boat arrivals, at their current scale or they feel the pace and scale of migration today, they feel like we have lost control. A loss of control breeds fear and when fearful, people turn inwards." She will say this risks fuelling "ethno-nationalism."
Political Reactions and Ongoing Debate
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp responded to the announcement by saying: "Labour have deported only 6% of illegal arrivals since coming to office, so rolling out another gimmick will not change a thing." Tim Naor Hilton of Refugee Action added: "The home secretary already has the power to deny support and accommodation to people seeking asylum who are not destitute or who have broken the rules. This is the latest in a long line of announcements from successive governments that bullies refugees for a bump in the polls rather than try to solve the real problems faced by people and communities."
Mahmood will claim in her speech that her reforms offer "a compassionate but controlled asylum system." The debate continues as the Home Secretary prepares to face both internal party dissent and external criticism over her approach to one of the most contentious issues in British politics.
