Shabana Mahmood has been urged by Labour MPs to soften her approach to overhauling the immigration and asylum system.
The Home Secretary is reportedly drawing inspiration from Denmark as she prepares to unveil new measures to crack down on migration.
Ms Mahmood has sent officials to the Scandinavian nation to better understand the nuances of running one of Europe’s toughest migration systems.
Among the measures she is said to be considering are tighter rules on family reunions and restricting certain refugees to temporary stays in the UK.
Labour’s Left MPs have criticised what they see as a “hardcore” and “far-right” approach, calling on her to scale back the proposals.
Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome is among them, going so far as to describe the policies as “racist.”
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:
“I think this is a dead end — morally, politically, and electorally.
These are the policies of the far right, and I don’t think anyone wants to see a Labour Government flirting with them.”
Shabana Mahmood is considering tough measures as she desperately seeks to clamp down on immigration
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PA
Another critic, Norwich South MP Clive Lewis, also condemned the plans.
He said:“Denmark’s Social Democrats have taken what I would call a hardcore approach to immigration. They’ve adopted many of the talking points of what we’d call the far right. Labour does need to win back some Reform-leaning voters — but not at the cost of losing progressive ones.”
Ministers are scrambling to present a firmer stance on immigration after a series of high-profile setbacks in recent weeks.
An Iranian migrant, first deported in September under the “one in, one out” scheme with France, managed to return to the UK by small boat. He remained in the country briefly before being deported again.
Meanwhile, Hadush Kebatu, an Ethiopian national housed in an asylum hotel in Essex, was accidentally released from prison after being jailed for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. He had been due for deportation but was recaptured after a days-long manhunt and forcibly removed from the UK — reportedly after being paid £500 to drop his asylum claim.
GB News can reveal that more than 1,500 small-boat migrants have crossed the Channel illegally since Thursday.
People-smuggling gangs have launched dinghies from French beaches for three consecutive days, following a fortnight of bad weather that had halted crossings.
Improved conditions on Thursday prompted a surge in attempts, with one senior maritime source telling GB News the increase was “down to better weather, nothing else.”
Labour’s migration manifesto promises since coming to power
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GB NEWS
The ongoing migrant crisis has many Labour MPs worried about losing their seats at the next general election to Reform UK candidates.
In the Red Wall, Nigel Farage’s party has performed strongly in the polls and could be poised to capture a significant share of seats.
Some Labour MPs in the caucus appear more open to Ms Mahmood’s plans, including Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Gareth Snell, who said the proposals were “worth exploring”.
Cracks within Labour have become increasingly visible in recent months. The party’s new Deputy Leader, Lucy Powell, has called on Sir Keir Starmer to soften his stance on immigration following her election last month.
“Division and hate are on the rise,” Ms Powell said at the time.
“Discontent and disillusionment are widespread. The desire for change is impatient and palpable. As the Labour Party — the party of Government — we must step forward and take this on. We have one big chance to show that progressive, mainstream politics can truly change people’s lives for the better.”