It’s a tough message Shabana Mahmood will hope will reach the disgruntled voter, the criminal gangs smuggling people on small boats, and even the would-be migrants on the northern shoreline of Pas-de-Calais 100 miles from Westminster.
On Monday afternoon, the home secretary will reveal sweeping reforms to the asylum system in an unprecedented bid to make it easier to remove migrants fleeing conflict and hardship and make the UK a less attractive destination.
Over a troubled first 16 months in power for Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government, illegal immigration has been a hot button topic, with claims ministers have failed to control the country’s borders.
In the year to June, the UK received the highest number of asylum applications since 2011, while the number of people arriving via small boat crossings hit almost 20,000 in the same period.
Now, after attempts by Sir Keir to stem the flow – the targeting of people-smuggling gangs and then the “one in, one out” deal with France – Ms Mahmood, appointed home secretary in September, will introduce her own sweeping reforms.
The plans are said to be inspired by Denmark’s approach to asylum seekers, where the government transformed its own approach following an influx of people throughout the 2010s. Now, the Scandinavian country has one of the toughest asylum and immigration systems in Europe.
But Labour’s policy changes come amid an outcry from some backbenchers, and human rights groups, who fear they will be a catalyst to further division in UK communities, while bringing disruption and harm to those seeking sanctuary.
What will Shabana Mahmood announce for the asylum system?
In her speech in the Commons at around 3.30pm, Ms Mahmood is to unveil radical measures modelled on Denmark’s system that will tackle illegal migration.
Arguably, the biggest change will be making the refugee status temporary, and subject to regular review.
Under current UK law, people granted status have the status for five years and can then apply for indefinite leave to remain and get on a route to citizenship.
Ms Mahmood will say, under her reforms, that refugees will be removed as soon as their home countries are deemed safe. Meanwhile, the wait for permanent settlement will be quadrupled to 20 years.
This is similar to Denmark, where asylum seekers get a temporary residency permit for one or two years, which is subject to regular review, and can be revoked once their home country is deemed safe.
The home secretary will also say ministers will want to bring forward a Bill to change how Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) – the right to a family life – is interpreted by judges in migrant court cases.
She is expected to say that this could stop migrants “gaming the system”.
Also, the government’s legal duty to provide asylum-seeker support will be revoked, meaning housing and weekly allowances will no longer be guaranteed. And those who have the right to work and can support themselves, could also be denied benefits.
Failed asylum seekers will be limited to make one appeal against their removal, instead of having the ability to make multiple challenges on different grounds.
It also looks like Ms Mahmood will introduce a “jewellery law” that will allow officials to confiscate refugees’ valuables, to help pay for cost of their accommodation and living.
Meanwhile, new and legal routes to the UK will be introduced as a way to cut dangerous journeys in small boats across the English Channel.
Summed up by borders minister Alex Norris on Monday morning’s Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: “If your intention is to come to the country illegally to have a claim assessed, and if you are successful then sit at home, not contribute, not learn English, integrate into the community, not to build a life away from the dreadful circumstances that you may have come from, then that is going to come with much greater checks.”
Which three countries face the threat of UK visa restrictions?
In a show of determination to make her plan work, Ms Mahmood will also ban three African countries from accessing UK visas if they fail to take back illegal migrants.
Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, will face visa sanctions, blocking their tourists, VIPs and business people from travelling to Britain if they do not co-operate more on the removal of illegal migrants.
The move was reportedly inspired by Trump administration homeland security secretary Kristi Noem, according to the Times.
Ms Mahmood said: “My message to foreign governments today is clear: accept the return of your citizens or lose the privilege of entering our country.”
The Independent has contacted the London-based embassies for each of the three countries.
Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics shows that the nationalities do not appear in the top 20 for small boat arrivals in the year up to June this year.
What have Labour MPs said about the proposals?
While many backbench MPs have so far remained silent, perhaps understandably, ahead of Ms Mahmood’s announcement, a couple have voiced their concerns this morning, among them Kent MP and former immigration lawyer Tony Vaughan.
Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Vaughan said that he accepted public trust in the asylum system was ebbing away, but said the measures were “taking the wrong turn”, with a particular concern being the idea to “kick refugees out despite having granting them protection”.
He said: “If the system has decided that someone should be granted asylum we should be welcoming, integrating and not creating this situation of perpetual limbo and alienation which doesn’t help the refugees, it doesn’t help society.”
Labour MP John McDonnell wrote on X: “Tony Vaughan is one of the new MPs elected for Labour last year & in his contributions to Commons debates has displayed a considered approach to issues.
“He’s certainly not what the media would call a usual suspect. I suspect he is reflecting here what many in the PLP [Parliamentary Labour Party] feel.
Mr Norris has urged his colleagues to wait before passing judgment, saying he disagreed with Mr Vaughan’s “characterisation” of the policy.
What have migrant charities said about the proposals?
Following days of media reports, there is wide-spread consternation among charities that support asylum seekers coming to the UK.
Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK’s refugee and migrant rights director, said: “Constantly demonising and scapegoating refugees in a hopeless and cruel attempt to deter people seeking asylum in the UK is causing social division while wrecking the asylum system – all to no good whatsoever.
“Sadly, this home secretary seems as determined to continue in precisely the same vein as the previous government – possibly now subjecting people granted asylum to decades of insecurity that will undermine their prospects of recovery and integration.”
Fizza Qureshi, chief executive of Migrants’ Rights Network, said: “The Home Secretary is taking unprecedented and appalling steps to blame people for daring to come to the UK to seek sanctuary. Instead of upholding their rights to claim refugee protection she is making them out to be a ‘problem’ that needs to be solved through harsher anti-refugee measures.”
Lara Parizotto, chief executive of Migrant Democracy Project, said: “Ms Mahmood’s is cementing a dangerous narrative of “good” vs “bad” refugees, is bending over backwards to change immigration rules to actually make claiming asylum illegal, which is not at the moment, and is washing her hands of responsibility by stating that it’s local residents’ responsibility to host refugees.”
