- Shabana Mahmood is set to introduce hardline immigration reforms, including plans to remove government-funded accommodation and financial support from asylum seekers who break the law or work illegally.
- The proposed changes also include making refugee status temporary and extending the waiting period for permanent residency in the UK.
- Mahmood defends the reforms as “an embodiment of Labour values,” arguing they are crucial to address public concerns over the scale of migration and to counter the rise of the far-right.
- The plans have drawn significant criticism from campaigners and some Labour MPs, who accuse the Home Secretary of “bullying refugees” and warn of potential increases in poverty and homelessness.
- The Home Office has confirmed that the rule changes, which will replace the statutory legal duty to provide support with a conditional approach, are scheduled to come into force in June.
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