Labour peer says Mahmood 'using children as weapons' in 'shabby' asylum reforms

A Labour peer who fled from the Nazis as a child refugee has accused home secretary Shabana Mahmood of using “children as a weapon” under her plans to make Britain less attractive to asylum seekers.

- DAVID MADDOX

Less than 24 hours after Labour MPs described the proposals as “performative cruelty” and “immoral”, Alf Dubs attacked the government’s proposals as “shabby”.

Under sweeping measures unveiled on Monday, the home secretary said Britain could deport families, including those with children, if they refuse monetary incentives to leave. The Home Office has also claimed that children are being sent to the UK on small boats so their families can “exploit” laws by putting down roots, thereby blocking removal.

Asked about this suggestion, Lord Dubs told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think that’s a theoretical statement – I just don’t accept that.”

He went on: “I think there is a proper case for children, there’s a proper case for family reunion — when there are children who are on their own and who’ve got family in this country, then I think the right thing to do is to have family reunion and bring children over here.

“But to use children as a weapon, as the home secretary is doing, I think is a shabby thing - I’m lost for words, frankly, because my concern was that if we remove people who come here, what happens if they’ve had children in the meantime?

“What are we supposed to do with children who are born here, who've been to school here, who are part of our community, our society? We can’t just say, ‘Oh well, out you go because your parents don’t claim to be here.”