Keir Starmer is confronting a significant internal party revolt as Labour MPs condemn new hardline asylum measures, including the potential deportation of families with children and asset confiscation from asylum seekers. The proposals, outlined by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, aim to tighten border control and address public anger over illegal migration, but have exposed deep divisions within the party.
At least 20 Labour MPs have publicly expressed concern, with some accusing the government of adopting far-right rhetoric. Critics include former human rights barrister Tony Vaughan, select committee chair Sarah Owen, and newly elected MPs such as Simon Opher and Neil Duncan-Jordan. One MP stated, “I didn’t fight an election as a Labour MP to bundle distressed children on to deportation flights.”
The Conservatives have indicated they could support the government to pass the laws if Labour rebels oppose them. Mahmood defended the policies in the Commons, warning of the divisive nature of asylum debates and citing personal experiences of racial abuse. A government source stressed that no unaccompanied children would be deported and promised extensive engagement with concerned MPs.
Starmer defended the plans, telling the Daily Mirror: “We inherited a broken asylum system… We need to stop people arriving who shouldn’t be here, and return those who are not genuine refugees.” However, MPs remain uneasy about the moral implications, with one describing the measures as “morally bankrupt” and another warning of a “far-right playbook.”
