Labour is once again engulfed in a civil war this morning as MPs are already breaking rank to attack the party’s new asylum reforms. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will deliver the radical update in the Commons this afternoon, announcing huge changes to deportations and processing.
The new policy includes changing how the ECHR is interpreted by UK judges, so that illegal migrants’ right to a family life isn’t prioritised over the safety of Britons. The number of years before an illegal migrant can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain will also be quadrupled from five to 20 years. However while the Tories and Reform have criticised the measures for not going far enough, Labour MPs are already blasting the Home Secretary for being too right-wing.
Tony Vaughan is leading a public rebellion (Image: Parliament)
Tony Vaughan, a 2024 intake MP who represents the south coast beaches of Folkestone and Hythe – a key target for migrant dinghies, emerged last night to demand that the government “think again on this”.
Mr Vaughan, who is notable for not being a typical backbench rebel, fumed: “The idea that recognised refugees need to be deported is wrong.”
“The rhetoric around these reforms encourages the same culture of divisiveness that sees racism and abuse growing in our communities.
“The Government is wrong to think that reviews of safety in the person’s country every few years will mean refugees can be returned at scale. That hasn’t happened in Denmark.
“Brutal dictators tend to hang onto power. It would just move huge amounts of resources away from making our asylum system work as it should – by cutting initial decision delays and the appeals backlog, sorting out asylum accommodation, making the UK-France deal work, removing those whose claims fail, etc.”
John McDonnell, the former shadow Chancellor who was recently admitted back into the Labour Party, warned he suspects Mr Vaughan “is reflecting here what many in the PLP feel.”
The Folkestone MP’s tweet was also shared by seven other MPs, namely: Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Stella Creasy, Clive Lewis, Nadia Whittome, Kate Osborne, Olivia Blake and Peter Lamb.
All the Labour MPs opposing Mahmood’s reforms
- Tony Vaughan, Folkestone and Hythe – X post
- John McDonnell, Hayes and Harlington – X post
- Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Clapham and Brixton Hill – Retweeted Tony Vaughan’s post
- Stella Creasy, Walthamstow – Retweeted Tony Vaughan’s post
- Clive Lewis, Norwich South – Retweeted Tony Vaughan’s post
- Nadia Whittome, Nottingham East – X post
- Kate Osborne, Jarrow and Gateshead East – Retweeted Tony Vaughan’s post
- Olivia Blake, Sheffield Hallam – X post
- Peter Lamb, Crawley – Retweeted Tony Vaughan’s post
- Abitsam Mohamed, Sheffield Central – X post
- Cat Eccles, Stourbridge – Retweeted Tony Vaughan’s post
- Simon Opher, Stroud – ITV interview
- Brian Leishman, Alloa and Grangemouth – Times Radio interview
- Richard Burgon, Leeds East – X post
- Sarah Owen, Luton North – Bluesky post
- Ian Byrne, Liverpool West Derby – X post
John McDonnell backed Mr Vaughan’s criticism (Image: Getty)
It’s also reported that the plans to deport existing refugee families should their home countries become safe has left one minister on resignation watch.
This morning, borders minister Alex Norris urged Labour backbenchers to wait for the Home Secretary’s asylum announcement later on Monday amid an outcry.
Asked about opposition from backbenchers, he told Times Radio: “I respect my colleagues and their views.
“I know they want what we want, which is a safe system where people don’t make dangerous journeys. They want a system that is controlled, that has the confidence of the British public.”
Asked about accusations that the policy was racist, he said: “I disagree with that characterisation. Of course, they have not seen the package yet and I ask them to look at it closely. I know they will.”
Yesterday Ms Mahmood ramped up her rhetoric about the migrant crisis, warning it is “tearing our country apart.”
She said that despite being the daughter of immigrants, tackling the small boat crossings is a “moral mission” for her.
“It is dividing communities, people can see huge pressure in their communities and they can also see a system that is broken and where people are able to flout the rules, abuse the system and get away with it.
“I am not willing to stand by and pretend there isn’t a problem, when I know there is one, and then suggest that any solution to that cannot work because I believe they can.”
The hard-line Home Secretary also warned potential Labour MP rebels that “dark forces are stirring up anger” over immigration, warning that the government must not fail to act.
