Britain’s Asylum System Set for SHOCKING Overhaul: Refugee Status to Become TEMPORARY and Wait for Permanent Settlement to QUADRUPLE to 20 Years
- Radical plans to curb illegal small-boat crossings and return refugees to their home countries when safe to do so
- Automatic path to settled status after 5 years to be scrapped, with refugees facing 20-year wait for permanent settlement
- Housing and weekly allowances to be removed from those who can support themselves but choose not to work
In a dramatic bid to regain control of Britain’s “broken” asylum system, the Labour government has unveiled plans to make refugee status temporary and quadruple the wait for permanent settlement to 20 years. The move comes as the country grapples with a surge in support for right-wing parties and widespread criticism of the current system.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer admitted that Britain’s asylum system, created in the wake of World War II, is no longer fit for purpose in today’s volatile world. “The world has changed. It is more volatile and insecure,” he said. “The result is a severe strain on both our asylum system and our wider social contract.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has been at the forefront of the government’s efforts to reform the asylum system, warned that the current system is “out of control” and “unfair”. “It’s putting huge pressure on communities,” she said. “It is important that we restore order and control to this system, so that we can retain public permission and public confidence in having an asylum system at all.”
The government’s plan has three main prongs. Firstly, the automatic path to settled status after 5 years will be scrapped, with refugees facing a 20-year wait for permanent settlement. Secondly, housing and weekly allowances will be removed from those who can support themselves but choose not to work. And thirdly, the government will narrow the way that British courts interpret Article 8 in the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees all people the right to a family life.
The move has been met with criticism from rights groups, who warn that the measures will foster a hostile climate for migrants and undermine protection. However, the government insists that the reforms are necessary to restore public confidence in the asylum system and to tackle the surge in support for right-wing parties.
Jonathan Sumption, a former UK Supreme Court judge, warned that the government’s plans could be judged to be in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights. However, Mahmood rejected the criticism, saying that the government is committed to upholding human rights while also maintaining control of its borders.
The new policy takes inspiration from Denmark’s approach, one of the toughest in Europe. But Britain is now poised to go further, with the 20-year route to settlement set to become the longest in Europe.
Labour has been trying to tread a line between showing competence in tackling illegal immigration and alienating its more progressive voter base. However, the party’s tough talk has been met with criticism from some on the left, who warn that the measures will lead to a more hostile climate for migrants.
Rwanda has also hinted that it will not reimburse the $300 million that Britain paid for a deportation deal that saw only four people deported. The deal was widely criticized as a waste of public funds, and Mahmood has accused the previous Conservative government of “wasting time and money” in its efforts to tackle illegal immigration.
The UK’s new policy has been met with a muted response from other mainstream parties, with some warning that the measures do not go far enough. However, the Refugee Council has criticized the government’s plans, saying that they will leave asylum seekers in prolonged uncertainty and undermine protection.