Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced sweeping reforms to Britain’s asylum system that will see illegal migrants deported within weeks and tougher requirements imposed on asylum seekers seeking to bring family members to the UK, as Labour attempts to regain control of the immigration narrative amid a shock poll showing Reform UK surging to a nine-point lead.
The comprehensive overhaul, unveiled as MPs return from summer recess today, includes stricter English language requirements, proof of sufficient funds for relatives, and a complete restructuring of the asylum appeals process aimed at ending what Ms Cooper described as the “broken” system inherited from the Conservatives.
Speaking to the House of Commons, the Home Secretary confirmed that the first 100 illegal migrants detained under the new “one-in, one-out” deal with France are set to be deported within weeks. Applications have been opened for the reciprocal legal route, with the first cases under consideration subject to strict security checks,” she stated.
The announcement comes as an Ipsos poll reveals Reform UK has surged to 34 per cent support, marking the highest level the pollster has ever recorded for Nigel Farage’s party. Labour has plummeted to just 25 per cent, its lowest share since October 2019, whilst the Conservatives recorded a historic low of 15 per cent.
In our first year in Government, we have taken immediate action, laying the foundations for more fundamental reform,” Ms Cooper told MPs. We have removed 35,000 people with no right to be here, including a 28 per cent increase in returns of failed asylum seekers and a 14 per cent increase in removals of foreign criminals.
The Home Secretary outlined five key areas of reform: border security, European partnerships, asylum reform, returns and enforcement, and humanitarian routes. Central to the plans is the creation of a new independent body to handle immigration and asylum appeals, separate from government control.
“We have increased raids and arrests on illegal working by 50 per cent and cut the annual hotel bill by almost £1billion last year,” Ms Cooper stated. We are rolling up digital ID and biometric kits so immigration enforcement can check on the spot whether someone has a right to work or remain in the UK.
The reforms include a significant tightening of refugee family reunion rules, which have seen visa numbers skyrocket from 4,300 in 2023 to 20,600 in the year to March. Families will now be required to prove they have sufficient funds and meet stricter English language requirements.
Ms Cooper revealed plans for a 1,000-bed expansion at Campsfield and Hassler detention centres, with the first tranche coming online within months to support “many thousands more forced removals each year.” The Government is also addressing what she termed the “overly complex system for family migration,” including changes to the domestic interpretation of Article 8 of the ECHR.
In August, I signed a new treaty with France, allowing us for the first time to directly return those who arrive on small boats,” the Home Secretary explained. “The first detentions took place the next day in Dover, and we expect the first returns to begin later this month.”
The reforms come amid mounting pressure over asylum hotel use, which sparked widespread protests during the summer. Despite Government claims of progress, the number of asylum seekers in hotels rose to 32,059 by June 2025, up from 29,585 the previous year, though below the September 2023 peak under the Conservatives.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp dismissed the announcement as a “desperate distraction tactic,” stating: “The simple fact is this year so far has been the worst in history with 29,000 illegal immigrants crossing the channel. Labour’s first year in office also saw the number of illegal immigrants in asylum hotels go up, despite having fallen by half in the nine months before the election.
Mr Philp added that Labour had “lost control” of Britain’s borders and was “engulfed in a fully fledged crisis,” pointing out that 2025 had seen the highest number of asylum claims in history.
The timing of the announcement is particularly significant given Reform UK’s dramatic rise in the polls. The Ipsos survey shows Nigel Farage’s party maintaining 95 per cent of its 2024 voters, whilst both Labour and the Conservatives are retaining only about half of their support from last year’s general election.
Ms Cooper took direct aim at Reform UK’s mass deportation plans, telling Parliament: “These are complex challenges and they require sustainable and workable solutions, not fantasy promises which can’t be delivered.” The jibe references Mr Farage’s “Operation Restoring Justice” blueprint unveiled last week.
The Home Secretary emphasised that the reforms would maintain legal routes for genuine asylum seekers, including unaccompanied children and those fleeing persecution, under “managed and controlled programmes.” She insisted: “No one should make these dangerous or illegal journeys on small boats, and if they do, we want them returned swiftly.
Central to the Government’s strategy is the complete overhaul of the appeals system, which Ms Cooper identified as “the biggest obstacle to reducing the size of the asylum system and ending hotel use.” Currently, tens of thousands of people in asylum accommodation are waiting for appeals, with average wait times at 54 weeks.
We will go further by creating a new independent body to handle immigration and asylum appeals, fully independent of Government, staffed by professionally trained adjudicators, able to surge capacity as needed, with new procedures to tackle repeat applications and unnecessary delays,” she announced.
The reforms also include strengthening the domestic interpretation of the ECHR, with Ms Cooper stating: “International law is important, and our adherence to it has allowed agreements with France and Germany to manage returns and prevent criminal gangs from exploiting migrants.
Despite the comprehensive nature of the reforms, critics question whether they will be sufficient to address public concerns. The 3,567 arrivals in August was the lowest since 2021, but the 29,003 crossings so far in 2025 represent the highest on record for this point in any year.
Labour’s polling collapse coincides with widespread dissatisfaction over the Government’s handling of immigration. According to Ipsos, 73 per cent are now dissatisfied with Sir Keir Starmer’s performance as Prime Minister, with his net satisfaction rating of -54 approaching the worst levels seen under Margaret Thatcher.
The Government faces a delicate balancing act between appearing tough on immigration whilst maintaining its commitment to international law and humanitarian obligations. Ms Cooper’s insistence that reforms are about “controlling the system, not stopping Britain from helping refugees” reflects this tension.
As Parliament reconvenes, the battle lines are drawn between Labour’s promise of practical solutions and Reform UK’s more radical proposals. With public confidence in all major parties at historic lows, the effectiveness of these reforms could prove crucial in determining whether Labour can reverse its dramatic polling decline.
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Image Credit:
Official portrait of Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP (crop 2) — photo by David Woolfall, taken 18 December 2019. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)
