The British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has spoken out in favor of a significantly tougher migration policy. In the podcast “The Rest Is Politics: Leading”, the Labor politician also announced a new attempt at returns to safe third countries.
“We should decide for ourselves who comes to Great Britain,” said the 46-year-old in the podcast, which is one of the country’s highest-reaching and is hosted by former Labor communications chief Alastair Campbell and former Conservative minister Rory Stewart.
The plans are reminiscent of the failed “Rwanda model” of the previous conservative government. At that time, asylum seekers were supposed to be flown to Rwanda, but the plan failed due to the courts and the change in government. Mahmood described the now planned repatriation centers, which she calls “Safe Return Hubs,” as a “better version” of this approach.
People should know before crossing that they would not be able to stay in the UK permanently once they arrive. This will deter many from traveling, argued the lawyer, who took over as Home Secretary in Andy Burnham's cabinet in July 2026. However, Mahmood did not say exactly how these “safe return hubs” should be designed.
The debate about illegal migration in Great Britain had recently become more heated. There were arrests during protests in the southern English coastal town of Gosport after 149 migrants were brought ashore following a rescue operation.
Tommy Robinson, one of the best-known figures in the right-wing extremist scene, has been calling on his followers for months to organize politically against the government's migration policy.
A 37-year-old who calls himself "Danny Tommo" was arrested after he slashed refugee boats on a self-proclaimed mission and a video of the incident circulated on social media.
She can understand the anger of many Brits that smuggling gangs and not the state decide who comes into the country. “I share the anger about this,” Mahmood said in the podcast.
As the daughter of Pakistani-Kashmiri immigrants who grew up in Birmingham, England, she understands that the British primarily expect an immigration system to be “controlled” and “fair.” However, this is not the case at the moment. “Smuggling gangs decide who comes to our country, not us,” Mahmood continued. “We don’t have control over this border.”
Mahmood also justified her call for greater control of migration with the conditions on the refugee routes to Europe. People often become victims of serious violence. The Interior Minister described the situation of women particularly dramatically: "You can almost guarantee that every woman who arrives in northern France was raped on the way there. Some men too." There would be mistreatment and exploitation.
In parallel with a stricter return policy, Mahmood announced new legal admission routes. In the future, universities and companies should be able to support refugees as students or workers. In addition, Great Britain should specifically take in people who are particularly in need of protection, such as persecuted minorities, homosexual people or women who are denied education.
At the same time, the Interior Minister emphasized that Great Britain still needs immigration. However, politics and business too often resorted to foreign workers instead of training people in their own country. Migrants are often employed in the care sector in particular because of low wages and poor working conditions. The state must take stronger countermeasures here.
Since the beginning of the year, 19,451 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats, the BBC reports, citing official figures. The number of migrants who have crossed the English Channel in small boats since the beginning of the year is around 42 percent lower than the previous year. British and French authorities have thwarted more than 48,000 crossing attempts since the election, the British Home Office also said.
