Corbyn and Polanski condemn UK's plans to seize jewellery from asylum seekers

British opposition politicians have condemned the government's proposed asylum reforms in comments to Middle East Eye, branding them "disgraceful" and "disgusting".

Home Office minister Alex Norris said on Monday that asylum seekers could have jewellery and other valuables taken from them to help pay for the costs of processing their cases, an idea apparently borrowed from Denmark's approach to asylum seekers.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski told MEE: "Nazi history and my own family's perilous journey is not something I evoke lightly.

"To many communities who have been displaced or have fled persecution, the Labour government's statements will have had a chilling effect."

Polanski's ancestors, who like him were Jewish, fled Latvia in the early 20th century due to antisemitic pogroms and eventually arrived in Britain.

"The talk of seizing the remaining assets of some of the most vulnerable people on earth is a disgraceful conversation to even be having," Polanski said.

"It shows how low this Labour government are willing to sink to out Reform the Reform Party."

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, an independent MP and key figure in the founding of Your Party, told MEE: "These plans are dehumanising, degrading and disgusting.

'Labour is not just paving the path to Reform. They are implementing their agenda here and now'

- Jeremy Corbyn MP

"Labour is not just paving the path to Reform. They are implementing their agenda here and now."

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said her immigration reforms are designed to counter "dark forces... stirring up anger" by reducing the number of refugees coming to Britain.

Defending the policy, Norris said on Sky News on Monday that "the British public pay billions of pounds a year so that those seeking asylum, or those who have already failed in their applications, can be supported in their accommodation and their living.

"It is right if those people have money in the bank, people have assets like cars, like e-bikes, they should be contributing. No, we’re not going to be taking people’s heirlooms off them at the border.

"But … people have cars. People have e-bikes. Those are assets they should contribute to the cost of benefits."

Threat of diplomatic sanctions

Meanwhile, the Labour government is facing mounting anger over the proposal from the backbench. Labour MP Kim Johnson told MEE the government's announcement was "deeply harrowing".

"The thought that someone who has risked everything to make the perilous journey to the UK could now have what little they have managed to bring with them seized on arrival is beyond contemptible," she said.

"The reality is this policy would raise a pittance. The true costs of the asylum system lie in not allowing asylum seekers to work, we should start by changing that."

UK government faces legal challenge over broken promise to rescue family from Gaza

Read More »

Johnson branded the announcement a "misguided attempt to win votes by lifting the rhetoric from the far-right Reform playbook by mimicking their racist, divisive hate filled narratives".

The government's new proposals also include placing diplomatic sanctions, such as restrictions on visas, on countries that refuse to take back asylum seeker nationals.

Mahmood said on Sunday that refugees will be deported if their country of origin is no longer deemed dangerous, and that their status will be reviewed every 30 months. This will include families with young children. 

Independent MP Ayoub Khan, another key figure in the founding of Your Party, told MEE: "If Mahmood truly wanted asylum seekers to pay their supposed fair share, she would lift the ban on their ability to undertake paid work.

"She would put greater resources into clearing the backlog of applications, so applicants can be processed and moved out of Home Office accommodation in a more timely fashion."

Khan accused the government of "blaming our country’s ills on a group that it actively obstructs from integrating within British society".

Johnson told MEE: "The government would do far better focusing on what is really tearing this country apart - poverty and the cost-of-living crisis.

"Instead of attacking the most vulnerable one percent who are reaching our shores in rubber dinghies, they should turn their attacks on the wealthiest one percent who travel by private jet, who are actually to blame for rising costs of living and surging inequality that's destroying our communities."