System Overhauled

The UK government proposed sweeping changes to its asylum policies.

Context

Immigration became a top concern for British voters after both legal and illegal arrivals had increased in recent years. Many migrants arrive in Britain illegally by crossing the English Channel from France in small boats, with crossings currently at the second-highest rate on record. The issue recently propelled Reform UK, an anti-immigration party led by Nigel Farage, to the top of polls and put pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer's center-left Labour government.

New Rules

On Monday, the UK's Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood outlined the Labour government’s proposed changes to Britain's asylum system. Refugees granted asylum would wait 20 years – instead of five – before applying for permanent residency, and the government would review refugee statuses every 30 months, ordering people to return if their countries become safer.

Asylum seekers would no longer automatically receive housing and financial support, and those who can work would be required to find jobs while their claims are processed. Officials would also confiscate valuable items from asylum seekers to offset processing costs.

Next Steps

Labour’s changes still require legislation to become law, which could face challenges from the party’s left wing even though it holds a large majority in Parliament.

The government also proposed changing how British courts interpret the European Convention on Human Rights to make deportations easier and threatened to restrict visas for citizens of Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo unless those countries accept the return of illegal immigrants and criminals. 

Reactions

The proposals drew criticism from across the political spectrum. Some Labour lawmakers accused the government of pandering to right-wing voters, with one saying, "Many who have stuck with Labour so far will be repulsed by these attacks on vulnerable people fleeing war and persecution." 

The opposition Conservative Party said it would deport people even more quickly than Labour proposed. Farage praised Mahmood's tough tone but expressed doubt that the policies would be implemented, citing potential opposition from British judges and the European Court of Human Rights. Reform UK currently leads in polls as Labour has slumped since taking power last year.