“It is Green Party politicians who are absolute hypocrites because they talk great language in here then oppose asylum accommodation in their own constituencies.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood tore into Green Party MP Carla Denyer yesterday in the Commons during what was a fiery clash over the government’s overhaul of the asylum system.
Mahmood set out the biggest overhaul to the UK’s asylum policy since the second world war. It is modelled on the stricter approach brought in by Denmark’s centre-left government, makes refugee status temporary, narrows the appeal process and threatens visa bans on countries that block returns, while also making asylum seekers with assets contribute to the cost of their accommodation.
When taking questions, the Home Secretary was accused of trying to “out-Reform Reform” by Green MP Carla Denyer.
Denyer asked: “Does the Secretary of State understand that attempting to out-Reform Reform is actually just boosting this baseless far-Right narrative and will only deepen divisions when we urgently need leadership and hope instead?”
Mahmood replied: “I couldn’t care less what any other political party has to say about these matters…
“I care about the fact that I have an important job to do, and I can see there is a problem here that needs to be fixed.
“If it was possible to pretend there wasn’t a problem because there wasn’t one, I wouldn’t be saying there is one.
She added: “There is a genuine problem in this asylum system and it needs someone to sort it out, not to pretend it doesn’t exist which I’m afraid is one of the things that fuels the division in the first place.”
Mahmood also said: “It is Green Party politicians who are absolute hypocrites because they talk great language in here then oppose asylum accommodation in their own constituencies.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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