The Home Secretary’s “sweeping changes” to asylum laws once again dominate the newspapers, with the Metro declaring them the start of “another rebellion” within the Labor Party. The newspaper reports that Shabana Mahmood was “instantly accused of cruelty” by members of her own party, even before revealing more details of the plans.
The “Labor revolt” is also led by The Guardian, which states that there are around twenty Labor politicians who “publicly express their concerns.” It notes that “radical measures” could include the possibility of confiscating refugees’ assets to contribute to asylum costs. The government’s “long-awaited crackdown” on the resale of tickets to for-profit events also appears on the newspaper’s front page.
The Independent quotes in its headline the Labor MP Nadia Whittome, who describes the repression against immigrants as “dystopian”. The paper says Mahmood’s critics include former immigration lawyer and Folkestone and Hythe MP Tony Vaughan, who calls the move a “wrong turn” for his party.
Both the Conservatives and Reform UK have openly welcomed Mahmood’s proposal, according to the i Paper, which says both parties will support the policy in parliament. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said the Home Secretary brings “fresh energy” to the House of Commons, in a rare compliment to her “political rival”, the paper reports.
The Express reports that Badenoch is urging Mahmood to work alongside her “in the national interest” to get her asylum proposals approved. The conservative leader has warned that without her support, plans to reform human rights laws are “doomed to failure” because they will be blocked by judges.
The Times details some of the details of the “33-page policy document” in its lead article. 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 cover, following their attendance at the prestigious Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Monday night.
“Mahmood turns the air blue in anti-Liberal blast,” is the Telegraph headline, after a Liberal Democrat spokesperson in the House of Commons accused the Home Secretary of “stoking division” on Monday. Mahmood responded with a “passionate defense” of her proposed asylum reforms, pointing out the racial abuse she says is directed at her “regularly,” according to the newspaper.
The Daily Mail also focuses on Mahmood’s revelation on its front page, writing that the Home Secretary “shocked the House of Commons” with the use of a racial slur which she claims is being used against her. Mahmood said the abuse and demands for him to “come home” are evidence of how the asylum crisis has divided the UK.
“It just doesn’t add up,” declares the Sun’s front page, in a nod to its previous investigation into the “benefits of removal centers” for illegal immigrants awaiting deportation.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has told the Daily Mirror that he will lead the Labor Party in the next election, amid what the newspaper has described as “torrid speculation and threats to his position”. It reports that Sir Keir has pledged to “remain focused on what matters, which is reducing the cost of living”, and lists breakfast clubs and a recipe freeze among his promises for the next budget.
The “crackdown on resellers on an industrial scale” headlines the Financial Times, which reports reselling costs concertgoers £145 million a year in high prices. According to the newspaper, inquiries about ticket resale began last January following an outcry over inflated ticket prices for the Oasis reunion tour.
A controversial increase in tax on horse racing betting that many expected to be included in the budget later this month has been scrapped, the Daily Star reports.
