Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told hecklers to “fuck right off” after being accused of copying Reform UK policies during a live event in central London. The incident occurred at the Duchess theatre, where Mahmood was being interviewed by comedian Matt Forde for his Political Party podcast.
A man in the audience shouted that he wanted to “personally thank you for out-Reforming Reform”, prompting Mahmood to respond forcefully. Two other audience members yelled “refugees welcome” as the man was removed by security. Mahmood accused the protesters of trying to “delegitimise” the “perfectly valid” concerns many people have about high levels of immigration.
Mahmood rejected claims that she was chasing Reform votes, saying such accusations were “just a way of delegitimising the point of view that I bring to the table”. She added: “It’s also a way of delegitimising the perfectly valid, legitimate views of millions of people in this country, including ethnic minorities in this country. And it’s not acceptable, right? And also, you’re trying to put me in a box, which includes a lot of people who think I don’t even belong in my own country.”
The home secretary said there was an element of racism in the heckling, stating: “How dare you, a brown woman, say a thing that we white liberals think you’re not allowed to say? Well I’m saying it.” She also expressed frustration at Labour’s lack of progress in government, saying: “We ourselves in the Labour party are getting in our own way.”
Campaign group Green New Deal Rising disputed Mahmood’s characterisation of the hecklers as “white liberals”, saying the man who began the disruption is a 32-year-old person of colour with a migrant background. Mahmood faces pressure from Labour MPs and cabinet colleagues to soften her hardline plans for asylum and immigration, which include ending permanent protection for refugees and doubling the time for most overseas workers to gain settlement.
