James Cleverly has accused Shabana Mahmood of launching Labour’s new refugee plan to “curry favour” with Andy Burnham.
Speaking to GB News, the Shadow Housing Secretary said the government is drifting “further to the Left” ahead of an expected leadership change.
The proposals would expand “safe and legal” routes for refugees from conflict zones to come to the UK. The plan is understood to be modelled on Canada’s community sponsorship system, where private individuals or groups support refugees by providing financial and emotional help for at least a year.
Ministers say the scheme would protect genuine asylum seekers while also helping to disrupt people-smuggling networks. However, it is believed it could see more than 10,000 refugees resettled in the UK by 2030.
Cleverly claimed the timing of the policy was aimed at appealing to Burnham, who is widely tipped as a possible future Labour leader and Prime Minister.
“She’s only bringing this out now because she wants to curry favour with Andy Burnham and keep her position as Home Secretary,” he said.
He added that Labour was shifting further left under its next phase of leadership.
“It looks like he’s going to take the government further to the Left,” he said. “You can already see people positioning themselves for that kind of left-wing government.”
He warned that such a direction would make it harder to deal with migration pressures, arguing that expanding legal routes would not necessarily reduce illegal crossings.
He said real progress required tougher enforcement, including leaving the ECHR to enable deportations and regain control of borders.
“The Left believe that more safe and legal routes reduce illegal migration. It doesn’t work like that,” he said.
“First we need to get a grip on illegal migration and people abusing the asylum system.”
Once numbers are reduced and there is public confidence, he said, new legal routes could be considered.
He also acknowledged Mahmood’s efforts, saying she had taken a firm approach in parts of her policy and maintained visa reforms that had helped reduce legal migration.
“She was a tough Home Secretary in some respects, and that should be recognised,” he said.
Cleverly concluded that the UK must prioritise stronger border control before expanding refugee pathways.
