LONDON – Mutinous Labour MPs are gearing up to crush a bid to toughen Britain’s borders, despite ministers begging them to hold off.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is unveiling what she has promised will be the biggest overhaul for decades, admitting that uncontrolled immigration is dividing the nation.
Inspired by Denmark’s crackdown, Mahmood is quadrupling the length of time asylum seekers wait for permanent settlement to 20 years.
There will be reviews of refugee status every 30 months, with people sent back if their home countries have become safe.
Home Office sources, though, are desperately playing down reports that they could emulate the controversial ‘jewellery law’ allowing officials to confiscate refugees’ valuables on arrival.
Instead identifiable assets such as e-bikes could be seized to help fund accommodation – which is costing the taxpayer billions of Pounds a year.
One government insider highlighted the case of an asylum seeker who was receiving £800 each month from his family and drove an Audi but was receiving free housing at taxpayer expense.
‘That isn’t right,’ the source said.
Other changes mooted include weakening the right to a family life under the European Convention on Human Rights and restricting the number of appeals allowed against refusals for asylum.
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