Politics of migration 'difficult' for Labour, Mahmood says - as she tightens asylum rules

The home secretary has admitted the politics of migration is "difficult" for Labour as she announced measures to tighten Britain's asylum system.

Shabana Mahmood outlined major reforms which she said are the only alternative to the "fairy tale of open borders" from the Green Party or the "nightmare of Nigel Farage pulling up the drawbridge and shutting out the world".

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She admitted that it is a "difficult time" for the Labour Party and is a time "when who we are and what we stand for is contested, sometimes bitterly".

"Restoring order and control at our border is not a betrayal of Labour values, it is the necessary condition for a Labour government to achieve everything it hopes to," she said.

Some of the key changes include a new route for student refugees, a new work visa route and a £10,000 incentive per person to leave instead of deportation.

The home secretary faces a backbench revolt over the plans, which include people granted asylum in the UK having their refugee status made temporary and subject to review every 30 months.

The government has been pushed into a series of humiliating U-turns by its own MPs, but Ms Mahmood insisted Labour MPs are "well aware" of the fact if her government does nothing about migration, others will.

"I am very clear in the argument that I am making that these are reforms that are consistent with Labour values, and if we don't resolve these problems, others with none of our values will be given the chance to do so instead," she said.

Sky News' political editor Beth Rigby asked the home secretary whether US President Donald Trump's criticism of Sir Keir Starmer over the Iran war, and the UK's immigration system, angers her.

Ms Mahmood said the government will "always prioritise the British national interest".

"The president will say some things that we agree with and others that we disagree with," she said.

Questioned by reporters about Mr Trump's attacks on Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan and the president's claim that London wants to turn to sharia law, Ms Mahmood criticised "misinformation".

"We are getting our immigration system under control. That is my job. That's what I've been setting out today, and we will pursue that," she said.

"Others can comment as they wish, but what I am motivated by is resolving problems for citizens in our country."

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The migration reforms include:

• Qualifying period for settlement increased from five to 10 years - with conditions including speaking English as a foreign language to A-level standard
• Some will qualify at, or earlier, than five years, including doctors, nurses and those contributing most to the economy
• This will be retrospective for those already on the route to settlement
• New legislation to remove the duty to provide asylum support with a power to do so
• Taxpayer-funded accommodation will be reserved for those who have no right to work and would otherwise be destitute
• Law tightened to ensure legitimate deportations cannot be thwarted by human rights and modern slavery legislation
• Appeals system to be reformed so they are heard swiftly
• Visa routes suspended for Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan
• Impose visitor visas for Nicaragua and St Lucia to stop "back door" entry into the UK

'Firm, but fair' asylum system

Ms Mahmood also announced that a small number of failed asylum seekers will be offered an "increased incentive payment" of £10,000 per person and up to £40,000 per family to leave Britain under a pilot scheme.

The policy shift comes after she visited Denmark, where a social democratic-led government has drastically reduced the number of asylum applications to the lowest number in 40 years and removed 95% of rejected asylum seekers.

She has made little secret of her admiration for the approach.

Ms Mahmood said the government would seek to echo reforms introduced in Denmark, and said her reforms offer "a compassionate but controlled asylum system. Firm, but fair".

(c) Sky News 2026: Politics of migration 'difficult' for Labour, Mahmood says - as she tightens asylum rules