By Eniola Amadu
Britain has suspended applications from recognised refugees seeking to bring family members into the country, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government moves to tighten immigration rules.
The decision comes as the government faces mounting political and public pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers crossing the Channel in small boats from France.
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Hotels used to house migrants have become flashpoints for weeks of sometimes violent protests, with Starmer pledging to close all asylum hotels by 2029.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament that the surge in family reunion applications was straining housing capacity nationwide.
She noted that many applicants were now seeking to bring in relatives within a month, compared with waiting times of one to two years as recently as 2019.
“The system has to be controlled and managed based on fair and properly enforced rules, not chaos and exploitation driven by criminal smuggler gangs,” Cooper said, adding that the suspension would remain in place while the government reviews and tightens regulations.
She further announced that the government intends to adjust its interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) — the international treaty often invoked by lawyers seeking to block the deportation of rejected asylum seekers.
Cooper added that the first migrant returns under Britain’s new agreement with France are expected to begin “later this month.”
Meanwhile, the Conservatives have urged that the ECHR be excluded from immigration cases and are even considering whether Britain should withdraw from the treaty altogether.
Under current rules, an asylum seeker granted indefinite leave to remain may bring their partner — if they can prove a relationship of at least two years — and children under the age of 18.
However, opposition lawmakers argue that Labour’s measures do not go far enough. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp insisted that anyone entering Britain “illegally” should be barred from reuniting with family members.
So far this year, more than 29,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats — a 38 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2024.
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The surge has fuelled public discontent and bolstered support for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, which continues to lead in opinion polls.
The Labour government maintains it is tackling a crisis left by previous Conservative-led administrations by accelerating asylum claim processing and negotiating return agreements with other countries.
