The Home Office is studying Denmark’s border control measures as it seeks to address irregular migration, Sky News has learned.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood sent a delegation of officials to Denmark last month to examine the Scandinavian country’s asylum system, which ranks among Europe’s most restrictive.
British officials are reportedly focused on Denmark’s policies limiting family reunification and imposing temporary status on most refugees.
Ms Mahmood is expected to unveil significant reforms to Britain’s immigration framework later this month, according to PA Media.
The initiative has exposed divisions within the governing Labour Party. MPs representing former Conservative strongholds—constituencies vulnerable to the insurgent Reform UK party—are advocating for stricter measures aligned with Denmark’s approach.
However, other Labour parliamentarians warn that adopting such policies risks alienating liberal-leaning voters and shifting the party’s ideological positioning rightward.
The government faces mounting pressure on migration control. Channel crossings via small boats have increased in recent months, and one individual previously deported under a bilateral agreement with France has returned to British territory.
Home Office statistics show 648 people arrived across the Channel in nine vessels on Friday alone, raising the annual total to 38,223.
The Home Secretary aims to establish deterrents against unauthorized entry routes while streamlining removal procedures for those determined to lack residency rights.
According to PA sources, Ms Mahmood is seeking an urgent meeting with her Danish counterpart, Immigration Minister Rasmus Stoklund.
In remarks to BBC Radio 4, Mr Stoklund employed an unconventional analogy to characterize Danish immigration philosophy: “We are a small country. We live peacefully and quietly with each other. I guess you could compare us to the hobbits in The Lord Of The Rings. We expect people who come here to participate and contribute positively, and if they don’t they aren’t welcome.”
The party’s internal divide was evident in contrasting public statements from Labour MPs today.
Gareth Snell, representing Stoke-on-Trent Central, told the Today programme that reforms promoting “fairness” in an asylum system his constituents “don’t trust” were “worth exploring.”
Conversely, Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome, a member of Labour’s Socialist Campaign Group, offered sharp criticism: “I think these are policies of the far right. I don’t think anyone wants to see a Labour government flirting with them.”
