Refugees aren’t the problem and Labour’s ‘tough’ reforms aren’t the answer
4 min read
I have been clear and unapologetic in my criticism of the government’s recent package of “tough” asylum reforms.
These measures are not only cruel and counter-productive – they act as political accelerants, fanning the flames already stoked by Reform UK.
Whenever I question the direction of this government on asylum and immigration, I meet the same response: “Well, we’ve got to do something.” And action is undoubtedly necessary. There are few who would disagree that the UK’s immigration systems are broken. Yet that “something” cannot be a renewed commitment to deterrence, deliberate destitution and the punishment of people whose only ‘crime’ is seeking protection.
The national debate seems trapped in a vision where Britain becomes increasingly hostile to refugees. But headline challenges – small-boat crossings, hotel use, an overwhelmed system – will not be solved through harsher measures. Integration is the obvious starting point for a functioning system. This must begin on arrival: someone barred from work or repeatedly moved between hotels cannot immediately find employment, learn English, or build local ties once their status has been granted. Extending the path to permanent settlement from five to 20 years creates state-mandated limbo rather than stability. Asylum seekers should be allowed to work while claims are assessed, with timely housing, employment support and access to English lessons from day one.
The lack of safe routes highlights another contradiction. Almost every legal pathway has been shut, yet the government claims to uphold international obligations while seeking to deport people to France and dismantle family reunions. Community sponsorship for a few hundred people is insufficient, and restricting routes to skilled refugees misinterprets the purpose of asylum: protection, not opportunity visas. The reduction of dangerous Channel crossings requires a significant expansion of safe and legal routes.
Where constant criticism is directed at asylum seekers for the cost of hotel accommodation, little scrutiny is applied to private contractors who profit from a system designed to keep people in limbo. Evidence already shows the harm caused by army barracks and large accommodation centres, as well as their higher cost compared with hotels. Even so, the government persists with an expensive and dehumanising strategy to avoid sentiments of injustice at luxury connotations, while feeding this very same narrative with their golden ticket rhetoric.
Cruel and unworkable reforms are being pursued for virtually no political benefit. Polling already shows that the Labour Party is losing support to the left rather than gaining voters from the right. People who once believed Labour would offer moral clarity are watching the government adopt the rhetoric and reasoning of Reform, and their trust is collapsing.
Labour’s proposal of being the only credible opposition to Reform at the ballot box loses all force when they echo Reform’s talking points, effectively rolling the pitch for policies previously outside the mainstream.
A more rational path is available. The government could build on improvements already made to accelerate decision-making, enabling people to leave hotels sooner and restart their lives. An amnesty for applicants from countries with overwhelmingly high grant rates would reduce the backlog and inject humanity back into the system, while restoring access to legal aid would prevent avoidable errors that currently overwhelm the appeals process.
A report commissioned by PCS union from the London School of Economics shows that processing claims within six months, rather than the current 18-month average, and providing English lessons, legal support and employment support from day one, would enable refugees to contribute far more to society. Each refugee accepted into the UK adds more than £260,000 to the economy over their lifetime.
Britain must stop treating refugees as the problem. The true issue lies in a system designed to fail them. Policies built on deterrence, delay and destitution resolve nothing. A fair and humane asylum system would protect people seeking safety while strengthening the society they hope to join. The alternative is a future defined by fear and division, and that is not a future worthy of this country.
Olivia Blake, Labour MP for Sheffield Hallam
