Moment Labour minister’s skewered over migration madness: ‘Soft touch’ | UK | News
A Labor Secretary has marveled at the UK’s “soft touch” after plans to reform current asylum policy were announced. Home Affairs Minister Shabana Mahmood has promised a significant change to the current system, which will see refugee status reviewed every two and a half years for a period of 20 years before applying for permanent residence.
The policy is inspired by Denmark, where refugees are granted temporary residence permits. After the permit expires, they must re-apply for asylum, usually every two years. Britain has gained a reputation as a “soft touch” country as immigrants are believed to be granted lifelong refugee status once they arrive in the country. But Labor now insists Britain will be “much less generous” to asylum seekers who will be “deprived of their basic rights”.
In an interview with Mike Tapp, Great Britain News reporter Camilla Tominey asked the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship to explain the thinking behind the changes. The Minister said: “This is because we are seen as a soft touch to many and smuggling gangsters often pack in immigrants who will get better benefits here than you would get elsewhere.”
Camilla replied: “But we’re a soft touch”, while Mr Tapp replied: “Not anymore.”
Labor wants to reform the current system as some asylum seekers currently have better conditions than UK citizens. The changes aim to make the UK a less attractive place for illegal immigrants to arrive.
The Home Office said the asylum seekers’ status would be “regularly reviewed and canceled if it is safe to return to their home country”. Waiting periods for permanent residence will increase from 5 years to 20 years.
Those who want to settle earlier will “demand people to work or study”. Meanwhile, the new proposals will also include new rules on family reunification and outline which offenses would deter immigrants from being in the UK.
In the interview, Mr Tapp said: “This is a significant change, which means it’s less attractive to come here.” Camilla replied: “But this plan will do nothing to address the fact that people can come here illegally by boat and get rooms and meals in three, four or five star hotels.”
The Minister of Internal Affairs will announce the new measures on Monday, November 17. He said: “I know that illegal immigration has caused huge divisions in our country and I believe we must take action if we want to maintain public consent to have an asylum system.”
Ms Mahmood added: “We must go further now. We need to reduce the number of people coming here illegally. We must remove more people who have no right to be here. We will always be a country that provides refuge to those fleeing danger, but we must restore order and control.”
However, his approach faced opposition from within the Labor Party. Norwich South MP Clive Lewis told the BBC the reforms would reflect “the talking points of the far right”.
