Last week the Labour Government announced major reforms to restore order and control to our borders.

These are significant changes — the most far-reaching overhaul of the asylum and immigration system in modern times. The reason we have to act is because what we have inherited from the Conservatives is simply unacceptable: £700 million blown on the failed Rwanda scheme. Hotels being used in towns as emergency accommodation because more appropriate provision has not been put in place. A system that is causing significant anger and division across the UK.

This is not a small problem. 400,000 have sought asylum here in the past four years. Over 100,000 people now live in asylum accommodation, and over half of refugees remain on benefits eight years after they have arrived. When I am out speaking to constituents and in your correspondence, so many of you tell me the system feels out of control. It feels that way because it is. I believe this has made our country a more divided place.

It is therefore wrong to say these measures are right-wing or alter the UK’s status as a welcoming, tolerant country. The truth is the old system isn’t working for anyone. Communities feel destabilised, genuine refugees are stuck in limbo, and criminal gangs are exploiting vulnerable people.

Our reforms change that and bring us into line with other European countries.

In Denmark, refugee status is temporary, and they provide safety and sanctuary until it is possible for a refugee to return home. Countries across Europe are tightening their systems in similar ways. We must act too. We will do so by making refugee status temporary, not permanent. At present, after 5 years in the UK a person will usually be granted indefinite leave to remain (ILTR), creating access to housing, social security benefits and family reunion. The UK is an outlier in this regard. So from now on a grant of refugee status will last for two and a half years, not five. It will be renewed only if it is impossible for a refugee to return home. Permanent settlement will also come at twenty years, not five.

The UK has always welcomed people who want to contribute to it. For those who want to stay, and who are willing and able to, the Government will create a new work and study visa route solely for refugees, with a quicker path to permanent settlement. Outside the most exceptional circumstances, family reunion will not be possible, with a refugee able to bring family over only if they have joined a work and study route, and if qualifying tests are met.

We will also always be a country that offers protection to those fleeing peril, just as we did in recent years when Ukraine was invaded, when Afghanistan was evacuated, and when we repatriated Hongkongers. For that reason, as order and control are restored, we will open new, capped, safe and legal routes into this country.

In practice, these changes mean we will significantly disincentivise dangerous illegal entry into the UK over safe and legal routes. This is very important.

If people do have their asylum claim turned down, it is reasonable to expect them to leave the UK. Today, we are not removing family groups, even when we know that their home country is perfectly safe. There are, for instance, around 700 Albanian families living in taxpayer-funded accommodation having failed their asylum claims—despite Albania being a safe country. So we will now begin the removal of families if their asylum claim has been rejected. Where possible, we will encourage a voluntary return, but where an enforced return is necessary, that is what we will do. I hope people will recognise that the system simply cannot work if we allow people who we have formally turned down to stay anyway.

In summary, we are restoring decision-making, clearing the backlog, increasing removals for those with no right to be here, and tightening the rules so the UK is no longer an outlier compared with the rest of Europe. Refugee status will be temporary, not automatic. Benefits will be focused on those who contribute. Those who can work will be expected to do so. And our appeals system will be rebuilt so we can remove people swiftly and humanely when claims fail.

We will also act where other countries refuse to take back their own nationals — including applying visa penalties if necessary. At the same time, we remain absolutely committed to offering sanctuary to those fleeing war or persecution. Under these proposals the UK will be both compassionate and in control. But if we don’t fix the system, the only people who benefit are the extremists and the traffickers.

If you have thoughts or questions, please do get in touch.