Shabana Mahmood will host the Five Eyes security alliance for talks on stopping people-smuggling after Channel crossings reached a record high. The newly appointed Home Secretary will meet counterparts from the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand in London as Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) seeks to tighten the Government's grip on immigration.
Some 1,097 people arrived in the UK in 17 boats on Saturday, bringing the total in 2025 so far to 30,100. This marks a 37% increase on this point last year and is also 37% higher than at this stage in 2023, when 21,918 people had crossed by this date.
The 30,000 mark has been passed earlier this year than in any calendar year since data on Channel crossings was first reported in 2018. Mahmood described the numbers as "utterly unacceptable" and said she expected migrant returns under a deal agreed last month with France to begin "imminently".
Five Eyes summit agenda
Mahmood will be joined by US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Canadian public safety minister Gary Anandasangaree, Australian home affairs minister Tony Burke and New Zealand minister Judith Collins. The Five Eyes intelligence-sharing pact will "agree new measures to protect our border", according to Mahmood.
The group will also discuss new measures to tackle child sexual abuse online and the spread of deadly synthetic opioids. The meeting comes as ministers consider moving asylum seekers from hotels into military barracks.
Political pressure drives policy shift
Starmer carried out a major reshuffle over the weekend, including wide-ranging changes at the Home Office, in a bid to draw a line under the fallout from Angela Rayner's resignation and a difficult summer. The Prime Minister has told his new-look Cabinet to "go up a gear" in delivering on Labour's agenda as he faces pressure from Nigel Farage's Reform UK.
The Government is now considering using defence sites as temporary asylum accommodation as ministers seek to speed up plans to end the use of hotels. Hotels became a focal point for demonstrations in recent weeks, prompting the policy review.
Military sites proposal draws criticism
One Government source said "nothing is off the table" for Mahmood as she assumes her new brief and she has also signalled a willingness to look at human rights reforms within domestic law. However, campaigners criticised the move to expand the use of military sites, saying the policy had been a failure.
"The solution is faster, fairer decisions and safe housing in communities, so refugees can work, study and rebuild their lives," said Enver Soloman, chief executive of the Refugee Council.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
