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The UK government, under Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, is preparing sweeping asylum reforms inspired by Denmark’s restrictive refugee policies, Sky News reports, and critics are warning that the plan could take Britain down a morally fraught path.
Mahmood recently dispatched officials to Denmark to study its asylum system, which is known for its tough rules on family reunification and temporary refugee status. According to Sky, the UK is expected to limit refugee protection to a temporary stay, introducing regular reviews and making it easier to deport migrants once their home country is deemed “safe.”
In a blunt defense of the move, Mahmood said the current system is “broken,” warning that “illegal migration is creating division across our country.” She called the proposed changes a “moral mission,” rejecting claims that her strategy was racist.
She added, “People can see huge pressure in their communities … a system that is broken, where people are able to flout the rules, abuse the system and get away with it.”
What Denmark does:
- Refugee status is temporary and closely reviewed.
- Permanent residency is harder to earn, asylum seekers need full-time work and language proficiency.
- Family reunification rules are strict: both partners must be at least 24, pass a language test, and demonstrate financial stability.
- Denmark’s “jewellery law” allows authorities to seize asylum seekers’ valuables to help fund their stay.
How the UK plans to follow:
- Refugee status will become temporary, with regular reviews and no automatic path to settlement.
- The UK may restrict family reunifications, drawing on Denmark’s age, language, and financial conditions.
- The Home Office hopes changes will reduce the UK’s appeal to migrants entering via small boats and make it easier to remove those who don’t qualify.
But not everyone is on board. Labour MPs are split, some argue the proposals are necessary to win back voters demanding stronger migration controls, while others warn that copying Denmark risks normalizing far-right rhetoric.
