On 16 November 2025, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood delivered a searing indictment of the UK's immigration crisis, declaring that illegal migration is 'tearing our country apart' and placing unsustainable strain on communities already under pressure.
Since her appointment on 5 September, 10,289 people have arrived via small boats. In response, the Labour government unveiled sweeping asylum reforms, offering only temporary refugee status and fast-track deportations, in a bid to restore border security.
