Sex offenders to face ban on claiming UK asylum

Foreign nationals convicted of sexual offences will be banned from claiming asylum throughout the UK, Yvette Cooper has said as Labour attempts to fight off the threat from the Reform party before Thursday's local elections.

- Rajeev Syal and Pippa Crerar

For the first time, anyone from overseas who qualifies for the sex offender register will be excluded from refugee protections.

The development has been questioned by human rights organisations concerned that "irresponsible" changes to immigration law are being rushed through to challenge a surge in the polls from Nigel Farage's party.

Meanwhile, Keir Starmer has accused Reform and the Tories of trying to "con" the British public because they are refusing to admit they are preparing a coalition deal.

The new measure on sex offenders would be introduced in an amendment to the border security, asylum and immigration bill going through parliament, the Home Office said.

Under the refugee convention, countries can refuse asylum to anyone who has committed a "particularly serious crime". In the UK, a criminal handed a prison sentence of one year or more can be defined as having committed a "serious crime" at the moment.

Officials said the planned changes would mean that anyone convicted of a crime and placed on the sex offender register would be categorised as having convicted a "particularly serious crime" regardless of the sentence.

Home Office sources have not said how many more foreign national offenders might be removed from the UK as a result of the change. The department's impact assessment on the policy is yet to be released.