Labour has entered its musical chairs era – and we’re sucked into another pointless death spiral | Nesrine Malik

Stella Creasy, the Labour and Cooperative MP for Walthamstow, criticizes the UK government's asylum reforms, arguing that they perpetuate a culture of suspicion rather than providing sanctuary for refugees. She highlights the absurdity of spending £700 million to deport four individuals to Rwanda while breaking over 70 years of asylum convention. Creasy emphasizes the need to address the root causes of refugee crises instead of implementing deterrent measures that fail to recognize the humanity of those fleeing conflict.

Angela Rayner, the former deputy Prime Minister, has criticized the recent infighting within the Labour Party, describing it as 'arrogant tittle-tattle.' In her first major interview in some time, she indicated that she has not stepped away from politics and did not rule out the possibility of running for Labour leader in the future. Allies of Rayner suggest she aims to enhance her public profile in the coming months and is likely to consider a leadership bid. Rayner is often viewed as a potential successor to current leader Keir Starmer.

Shabana Mahmood, the newly appointed Home Secretary, is reportedly moving quickly on asylum reforms, which has caused discomfort among Labour MPs. The MPs are expected to be deeply uncomfortable with her approach, indicating potential divisions within the party regarding immigration policy. Mahmood's urgency in implementing these reforms may reflect broader governmental pressures to address asylum issues.

Britain's interior minister defended plans to significantly reduce protections for refugees and eliminate automatic benefits for asylum seekers, claiming that irregular migration is 'tearing our country apart.' These measures, inspired by Denmark's stringent asylum policies, aim to curb the influx of migrants arriving in England from northern France via small boats. However, the proposals have faced criticism from the Refugee Council charity as 'harsh and unnecessary' and are expected to encounter opposition from left-wing lawmakers within Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government.