‘Labour asylum mutiny begins’ and ‘crackdown’ on ticket touts
While the “wide-ranging changes” made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the asylum laws were again on the agenda of the newspapers, Metro declared this as the beginning of “another rebellion” within the Labor Party. The newspaper reports that Shabana Mahmood was “immediately accused of cruelty” by members of her own party, even before revealing further details of the plans.
The “workers’ revolt” also leads the Guardian; The report states that there are approximately 20 Labor Party politicians who have “expressed their concerns” publicly. The report states that “radical measures” could include the possibility of seizing refugees’ assets to contribute to asylum costs. The government’s “long-awaited crackdown” on reselling event tickets for profit also appears on the newspaper’s front page.
In its headline, The Independent quotes Labor MP Nadia Whittome, who describes the crackdown on immigrants as “dystopian”. The paper says Mahmood’s critics include former immigration lawyer and Folkestone and Hythe MP Tony Vaughan, who described the move as a “wrong turn” for his party.
Both the Conservative Party and Reform England publicly welcomed Mahmood’s proposal, according to i Paper, which said both parties would support the policy in parliament. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the home secretary brought “fresh energy” to the House of Commons, a rare compliment to her “political rival”, the newspaper reported.
The Express reported that Badenoch called on Mahmood to work with him “in the national interest” to make asylum offers a reality. The Conservative leader warned that without his support plans to overhaul human rights laws were “doomed to fail” because they would be blocked by judges.
The Times details some of the details of the “33-page policy document” in its cover story. It reports that some of the reforms will be implemented through “tweaks” to immigration rules, while others will require primary legislation. Actresses Dakota Johnson, Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone also appear on the newspaper’s front page following their attendance at the prestigious Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Monday evening.
“Mahmood turns blue against Liberals” was the Telegraph headline after the home secretary was accused of “fomenting division” by a Liberal Democrat spokesman in the House of Commons on Monday. According to the newspaper, Mahmood responded by “passionately defending” proposed asylum reforms and pointed out racist abuse he said was directed at him “regularly”.
The Daily Mail also focuses on Mahmood’s revelations on its front page, writing that he “shocked the House of Commons” by using the racist slur he says the home secretary used against him. Mahmood said his abuse and demands for him to “come home” were evidence of how the asylum crisis was dividing the UK.
“This makes no sense,” the Sun’s front page proclaims, referring to an earlier investigation into “removal center benefits” for illegal immigrants awaiting deportation.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has told the Daily Mirror he will lead Labor at the next election, amid what the newspaper called “fervent speculation and threats to his position”. The report says Sir Keir has pledged to “continue to focus on what matters – the cost of living”, and his promises ahead of the upcoming Budget include breakfast clubs and prescription freezes.
The “crackdown on industrial-scale touts” is led by the Financial Times, which reports that scaling is costing giggoers £145 million a year in premium prices. According to the newspaper, consultations on the resale of tickets began last January following protests over inflated ticket prices for Oasis’ reunion tour.
A controversial horse racing betting tax hike that many expected to be included in the Budget later this month has been scrapped, the Daily Star reports.
