The Home Office is starting a new series of immigration raids to catch people working illegally and is highlighting record numbers of deportations. This comes as the Labour Party tries to address the growing political challenge from Reform UK.
Before the new border security bill is discussed today, officials said that visits to workplaces and arrests for illegal work have increased by about 38% since Labour took office compared to the previous year.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to join a raid this week targeting illegal work. The government will also show videos of deportations, including those of foreign criminals, from detention centers to planes.
Cooper said, “Immigration rules must be followed and enforced. For too long, employers have hired and exploited illegal migrants, and too many people have come and worked illegally without consequences. This not only encourages dangerous Channel crossings but also harms vulnerable people, the immigration system, and our economy.”
Downing Street plans to do more than just appear tough on migration. A source said, “We need to actually be strong, not just look strong. We’ve done well on deportations, but people don’t believe it unless they see it on the news.”
The government believes its migration record could help keep Labour voters from switching to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. Since the election, over 16,400 failed asylum seekers, irregular migrants, and foreign criminals have been deported, though more than half left voluntarily.
However, some Labour MPs are worried the government is returning to the harsh policies of Theresa May’s “hostile environment,” which included controversial “go home” billboards.
Former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said, “Trying to act like Reform UK is a mistake. It gives their agenda legitimacy and pushes people to vote for them. Some new MPs in the ‘red wall’ areas are panicking because Reform is close behind, but mimicking them will only alienate Labour’s core voters.”
Officials said the government’s crackdown on illegal work has led to the busiest January for enforcement in over five years. Workplace visits and arrests have risen by 38% in the last six months compared to the previous year, with raids up 48% and arrests in January up 73% to 609. The next raids will target larger employers.
Eddy Montgomery, a Home Office enforcement director, said, “This sends a strong message that no one can hide from the law, and we will increase our efforts to ensure consequences for those involved.”
Government sources said many who come to the UK and work illegally are misled about their ability to live and work here, often risking their lives on small boats. However, there’s little evidence that many small boat arrivals are trafficked for work. Former Conservative home secretaries Priti Patel and Suella Braverman claimed most small boat arrivals were economic migrants but couldn’t prove it.
A February 2024 Refugee Council analysis found that most small boat arrivals were refugees. From 2018 to September 2023, 93% claimed asylum, with up to three-quarters granted it and others winning on appeal.
Some government insiders were concerned when Reform UK led in a recent YouGov poll, with one in five 2019 Conservative voters now saying they’d vote for Reform.
Labour has launched ads with Reform-style branding, boasting about deportations, to counter the rise of the right-wing party. Some sources downplayed the link to Reform, saying the push was about fulfilling election promises to remove those without legal status, with extra resources available after the Rwanda scheme was scrapped.
One source said, “The Home Office has been working on this for a long time. It’s not a direct reaction to Reform, but it’s important to show what we’re doing as a Labour government.”
While some in Labour are uneasy about tough immigration actions, Keir Starmer warned ministers at a recent meeting, “Progressive liberals have been too relaxed about not listening to people on the impact of immigration.”
Reform UK came second in 98 seats in the last election, 89 of which were won by Labour. Some Labour MPs, especially in the ‘red wall’ and the south, worry Reform could gain more seats next time unless the government addresses the issue.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch recently announced her first major policy on migration, doubling the time new arrivals must wait before applying for indefinite leave, amid concerns about Reform’s threat to her party.
