Labour’s proposed changes to immigration policy could mean that up to 60,000 migrants, who were initially facing deportation to Rwanda, may now have the opportunity to receive asylum in the UK, according to an analysis by the Refugee Council. The Council also predicts that an additional 27,000 migrants will cross the Channel by the end of this year, further contributing to the backlog of asylum claims awaiting processing under a potential Labour government.
Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, has promised to immediately stop Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda deportation scheme upon assuming office. This policy shift would redirect approximately 90,000 migrants who are currently uncertain about their deportation status to be processed through the UK’s asylum system instead.
Based on data provided by the Refugee Council, it is estimated that about 70%—or around 60,000—of these migrants could qualify for asylum, considering their countries of origin. This estimate is supported by statistics showing that 73% of small boat arrivals between May 2023 and April 2024, predominantly from countries such as Sudan, Eritrea, Syria, Afghanistan, and Iran, typically receive asylum in the UK.
Labour intends to swiftly transition these 90,000 migrants into the asylum system, possibly utilizing Section 30 of the Illegal Migration Act to initiate the processing of asylum claims even before formally repealing the law. This legal provision allows the home secretary to grant “limited leave to enter or remain” in the UK pending asylum decisions.
Critics, particularly from the Conservative Party, argue that Labour’s approach effectively amounts to granting amnesty to migrants. In response, Labour criticizes the Tories for what they describe as a “hotel amnesty,” highlighting the current cost to taxpayers of £2.9 million daily to house nearly 36,000 migrants in hotels.
Yvette Cooper, Labour’s shadow home secretary, pledges to phase out hotel accommodations within a year as a cost-saving measure. However, Labour faces a significant challenge in managing the asylum backlog, which is expected to worsen with an estimated 40,300 migrants crossing the Channel in 2024 if current trends persist.
Labour’s proposed reforms also include establishing a new Border Security Command to disrupt migrant trafficking networks at their source and streamlining the asylum process. This includes prioritizing quick assessments for migrants from safe countries and setting up a Returns Unit to reduce reliance on expensive temporary accommodations.
Labour’s ambitious plans underscore the critical need for immigration policy reform in the UK. The party argues that current policies are ineffective and urgently require revision to better manage migration flows and uphold humanitarian standards.