Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood brands Channel migrant surge “fiendishly difficult” as crossings hit 41,474 in 2025
Labour Faces Backlash Over Record Rise in Channel Crossings
Shabana Mahmood slammed the record numbers of migrants crossing the Channel as “unacceptable” during a tense Home Affairs Select Committee hearing. The Home Secretary refused to promise a drop in migrant arrivals by January, leaving MPs frustrated.
In a stark admission, the Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood revealed that 23,242 migrants reached UK shores in the first six months under Keir Starmer – a 13% rise on previous figures.
“Those numbers are obviously not where I want to be either,” Mahmood admitted. “This is an issue of deep concern in my own constituency and my city as well.”
No Quick Fix: Mahmood Unveils Long-Term “Painful” Plan
Mahmood insisted there’s no magic solution to the Channel chaos. She promised tough new laws to slash appeals and tighten the Human Rights Act, but warned it will take time.
“We will legislate at the earliest opportunity to change the appeal system, to further restrict the way that Article 8 of the Human Rights Act is interpreted,” she told MPs. But she added: “Drafting this legislation necessarily does take some time.”
The Home Secretary’s cautious stance mirrors PM Starmer’s recent “smash the engines” scheme aimed at crippling boat motors used by smugglers, but clear targets remain elusive.
Brexit Not to Blame, Says Mahmood
While some Government bigwigs blame Brexit for the surge, Mahmood dismissed this theory outright. When Liberal Democrat MP Paul Koehler called the crisis “post-Brexit,” Mahmood fired back:
“Is Brexit responsible for the boats? I don’t think that’s true.”
With public frustration mounting, Mahmood vowed to keep cracking down hard on people-smuggling gangs. But with no firm deadlines for her new laws, the Channel migrant crisis looks set to rumble on through 2025.
