New Shadow Justice Secretary Claims Party Must Address Public Concerns
Shabana Mahmood, the new shadow justice secretary, has called on the Labour Party not to shy away from discussing concerns over high immigration levels. She criticized her party for avoiding the topic in the past, stating that it is important to address the impact that large numbers of immigrants can have on the NHS and housing. Mahmood expressed frustration with Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who recently warned of a migration "hurricane" hitting Britain. In her first interview in the role, Mahmood also appealed to Red Wall voters who abandoned Labour in the 2019 election.
Labour Finally "Comfortable" Discussing Immigration
Mahmood emphasized that Labour now feels more comfortable discussing immigration but did not explicitly state whether she believed numbers should be reduced. Current figures show that immigration to the UK has reached a record high of 1.2 million people. Net migration, taking into account both those entering and leaving the country, is 606,000 according to the Office for National Statistics.
Accusations of Inflammatory and Divisive Language
During the Conservative party conference, Home Secretary Braverman accused her opponents of supporting "open borders" and warned of an imminent migration "hurricane." Mahmood criticized Braverman's remarks, describing them as "deliberately inflammatory" and "divisive." She accused the Home Secretary of using unrealistic figures to scare the public, questioning whether it was a form of dog whistle politics.
Labour Claims to be Party of Law and Order
Mahmood attempted to position Labour as the party of law and order, highlighting that she believes the criminal justice system has been severely weakened. She also pointed out that public confidence in the police has been damaged following recent high-profile cases, such as the murder of Sarah Everard. However, she faced criticism for signing a letter in 2020 expressing concern over the deportation of foreign criminals to Jamaica. Mahmood defended her actions, stating that the letter called on the government to review its policies and ensure that foreign offenders were being accurately identified and deported.
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