Overview
- After a week of set‑piece announcements, the home secretary set out asylum reforms and a legal‑migration shake‑up aimed at stopping Channel crossings and cutting overall numbers.
- Kemi Badenoch argued the changes fall short, calling for a binding annual migration cap, removal of illegal entrants within a week, and withdrawal from the ECHR to avoid court defeats.
- Refugee organisations and several Labour MPs condemned the approach as harsh or dystopian, with critics warning it risks encouraging racism and misjudging the economics of migration.
- Mahmood drew unexpected praise from figures on the right, including Nigel Farage, highlighting an unusual cross‑party response that has unsettled some in Labour.
- Commentators warned many measures may affect relatively few people and might not stop small‑boat crossings, while George Osborne and Ed Balls argued both major parties’ electoral fortunes depend on whether the policy works.