The British media had already reported extensively in recent days about the tightening of the asylum policy. For example, refugee status must be reviewed every thirty months. Protection will also be withdrawn if the home country is considered safe.
Mahmood claimed on Monday that the UK is a victim of “asylum shoppers”. “Some are real refugees, but others are economic migrants who want to abuse the asylum system,” goes the rhetoric. “Even among genuine refugees, economic incentives play a role,” Mahmood continues. “Instead of stopping in the first safe country, they look for the most attractive place.”
United Kingdom rolls out stricter migration policy: “If it is safe at home, we will send you back”
Other measures announced by Mahmood include a restriction of the right to family reunification, an abolition of automatically granted financial support and a “tougher approach” to people whose asylum applications have been refused. “We will deport people we could not deport before, including families who have a safe homeland.”
“Visionless mess”
The plans have met with fierce criticism within their own party. MP Tony Vaughan says the government’s rhetoric “encourages the same culture of division that is increasing racism and abuse in our communities.” The plan to review the status of refugees every 30 months will also divert “enormous amounts of resources from the functioning of our asylum system,” he warns.
Simon Opher says Labor should “stop scapegoating immigrants”. “We must oppose the racist agenda of (the far right party, ed.) Reform UK, rather than repeating it.”
UK reforms asylum policy according to Danish model: wait up to twenty years for permanent residence permit
Other Labor backbenchers also endorsed the criticism. One of the MPs told the PA news agency that communities were being “played off against each other”. Others speak of a “visionless mess”.
The opposition then speaks of half measures. Chris Philp, the Tories’ shadow home secretary, believes a withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights is also necessary. Mahmood has already emphasized during the parliamentary debate that this will “never” happen.