Alan Johnson urges Shabana Mahmood to proceed with migration reforms

Former Labour Home Secretary Alan Johnson has urged current Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to proceed with proposed migration reforms despite significant opposition from Labour backbenchers. Speaking as part of a Policy Exchange initiative involving former home secretaries, Johnson warned that backtracking on illegal immigration measures could benefit political rivals such as Reform UK or the Conservative Party.

The proposed Immigration and Asylum Bill includes several stringent measures, such as increasing the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain from five years to ten years. These changes would reportedly apply retrospectively to individuals already in the UK. For refugees, the timeline for permanent status could extend to 20 years, with a move toward making refugee status temporary, similar to the Danish model.

The reforms also aim to adjust the application of human rights and modern slavery laws to prevent what the Home Office describes as “vexatious” claims. While the measures are intended to reduce the incentives for small boat crossings, they have faced a backlash from nearly 80 Labour MPs who previously urged a pause to avoid alienating progressive voters.