Britain Moves to Tighten Asylum Policies in Bid to Reduce Irregular Migration
Follow-up
The British Labour government announced that it will take measures to limit the influx of migrants to the United Kingdom, such as reducing protections granted to refugees and assistance allocated to asylum seekers, aiming to combat the rise of far-right anti-immigration sentiments.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated in a press release that “this country has a rich tradition of welcoming those fleeing danger, but our generosity attracts illegal migrants across the English Channel.”
The ministry revealed in two statements two main procedural changes which will be presented to Parliament on Monday.
The first measure involves reducing the protections granted to refugees who “will be compelled to return to their home countries once deemed safe.”
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The minister stated that the “golden ticket” has caused a sharp rise in asylum applications in the UK, pushing people to traverse Europe through safe countries to board dilapidated boats, adding, “I will put an end to this golden ticket.”
The ministry explained that “thanks to significantly more generous conditions in the UK” refugees can currently stay in the country for five years, after which they can apply for indefinite residency “without having contributed” to this country, and will subsequently be able to obtain citizenship.
The new system will reduce the five years to thirty months and will extend the necessary duration before applying for permanent residency from five to twenty years.
The ministry emphasized that refugees wishing to obtain permanent residency more quickly “will be required to work or study.”
The second announced measure is the cancellation of social assistance automatically granted to asylum seekers, such as housing and financial allowances.
The Home Office pointed out that the government intends to revoke these benefits “for those who are entitled to work and can support themselves but choose not to, or for those who break the law.”
– Protests –
The Keir Starmer government, which took office in July 2024, faces ongoing pressure to limit the influx of migrants and curtail their rights, especially in light of the UK Reform Party led by Nigel Farage, which has made immigration its primary focus and is showing significant progress over Labour in opinion polls.
Protests have occurred this summer outside hotels housing asylum seekers, notably a demonstration organized by the far-right in mid-September in London, which involved up to 150,000 participants according to police estimates.
In this context, the government has promised to reduce the number of refugees crossing the Channel in unsafe boats, though it has not yet been able to achieve this.
Since the beginning of the year, 39,393 migrants have illegally reached the shores of Britain via the Channel, a figure that surpasses the total recorded for all of 2024, which was 36,816 migrants.
Asylum applications in the UK also increased by 18% in 2024, while they declined by 13% across the European Union, according to government figures. Over 400,000 asylum applications have been recorded since 2021, compared to 150,000 applications between 2011 and 2015, according to official data.
– The Danish Model –
The ministry stated that it drew inspiration from the Danish system for these reforms.
The Scandinavian country, with a population of six million, implements a strict asylum policy, generally granting refugees a two-year residency permit that is renewable, while encouraging them to return home once authorities deem they no longer need protection.
Family reunification is also subject to strict criteria, including language tests for newcomers.
In the UK, calls for reducing protections for refugees have thus far been limited to Farage, who announced that if he were to come to power, he would require migrants to apply for a visa every five years, including those in a legal status.
However, the Labour Party’s left wing has expressed opposition to such restrictions and warned that the party would lose substantial support among voters if they are enacted, as the organization slips to its lowest levels in opinion polls.
