The new UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has warned that Britain could suspend visas for countries that refuse to take back their citizens who have no legal right to stay in the UK.
Mahmood, who stepped into the role just days ago after a cabinet reshuffle, said her “top priority” is to secure the nation’s borders. Speaking at a Five Eyes security summit with counterparts from the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, she said the UK is considering tougher action to stop illegal migration.
“For countries that do not play ball, we’ve been talking about how we can take much more co-ordinated action between the Five Eyes countries,” Mahmood told broadcasters. “For us, that means including possibly the cutting of visas in the future, just to say, you do need to take your citizens back.”
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Small boat crossings put pressure on government
The warning comes as pressure mounts on the government to deal with small boat crossings in the English Channel. More than 30,000 people have already arrived this year, including over 1,000 on Saturday alone. Mahmood pledged to do “whatever it takes” to stop the crossings, insisting her approach is not a copy of opposition policies.
“This is a Labour government with Labour policy and Labour proposals,” she said. “There has to be a strong approach to maintaining our border, and that does mean saying to countries who do not take their citizens back that we’re not simply going to allow our laws to remain unenforced.”
Opposition questions Labour’s resolve
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused Labour of being “too weak” on border protection. “All we get from Labour are tough words,” he said. “I urged them to immediately use the powers which the last government created some months ago, but nothing has happened. We should also cut overseas aid to countries not taking back their own nationals.”
Digital ID and human rights balance
Mahmood also signalled that the government is exploring digital ID as part of wider efforts to tackle illegal working and reduce incentives for migrants to come to the UK. While personally supportive of the idea, she said the current position is to “look at” it and hold discussions with colleagues.
On human rights, the Home Secretary confirmed the UK will remain within the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), despite calls from Reform UK and some Conservatives to withdraw. “In the end, this is about how you strike the balance between human rights on the one hand, and securing our borders. I do think that balance isn’t in the right place at the moment,” she said.
New ministers in Home Office reshuffle-Shabana Mahmood
Mahmood’s comments come as the government reshapes the Home Office to deliver on its border security promises. Dover MP Mike Tapp has been appointed to his first ministerial role, tasked with tackling criminal gangs and reducing asylum hotel use.
Mahmood, formerly justice secretary, said she will continue pushing for reforms to ensure human rights laws are “fit for purpose in the modern era.” Her appointment follows the resignation of Angela Rayner as deputy prime minister and housing secretary, after she admitted underpaying stamp duty on a property.
