Ministers are facing a growing revolt from Labour backbench MPs over sweeping changes to immigration rules.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Monday laid out plans to shake up Britain’s asylum system in a bid to stop migrants crossing the Channel in small boats.
The hardline reforms, based on policies in place in Denmark and the US, include potential visa bans for some countries, the fast-track removal of failed asylum seekers and changes to refugee status.
But at least nine Labour backbenchers have already publicly expressed concern about some of the measures, with one MP describing them as encouraging “the same culture of divisiveness that sees racism and abuse growing in our communities”.
Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome said: "The Denmark-style policies briefed in the last couple of days are dystopian.
"It's shameful that a Labour Government is ripping up the rights and protections of people who have endured unimaginable trauma. Is this how we'd want to be treated if we were fleeing for our lives? Of course, not.
"How can we be adopting such obviously cruel policies? Is the Home Secretary proud that the Government has sunk such that it is now being praised by Tommy Robinson?"
The Home Secretary defended the Government's asylum reforms in the Commons on Monday.
Speaking during Home Office questions, Ms Mahmood insisted her plans could unite "a divided country" and fix the asylum system.
She told MPs it was the "uncomfortable truth" that the UK's generous asylum offer, compared to other European countries, is drawing people to UK shores, and for British taxpayers the system "feels out of control and unfair".
"The pace and scale of change has destabilised communities. It is making our country a more divided place," Ms Mahmood said.
At one moment, the Home Secretary told how she has been repeatedly called a “f***ing p***”, as she urged critics not to turn a blind eye to the consequences of uncontrolled immigration.
"There will never be a justification for the violence and racism of a minority, but if we fail to deal with this crisis, we will draw more people down a path that starts with anger and ends in hatred,” she added.
"I have no doubt about who we really are in this country. We are open, tolerant and generous.
"But the public rightly expect that we can determine who enters this country, and who must leave.
"To maintain the generosity that allows us to provide sanctuary, we must restore order and control."
She added: "While some are genuine refugees, others are economic migrants, seeking to take advantage of the asylum system. Even amongst those who are genuine refugees, economic incentives are at play.
"Instead of stopping at the first safe country even genuine refugees are searching for the most attractive place to seek refuge, many now 'asylum shop' their way across the continent, in search of the most attractive place to seek refuge.”
The measures include:
•Cutting the time refugees are initially granted to stay in the UK, from five years to a 30-month "core protection" system, which can only be renewed if it is not safe for them to return.
•Refugees will have to spend 20 years in the UK before being allowed to apply for settled status, up from five years.
• There will be no automatic right to family reunion for refugees under core protection.
•Housing and weekly allowances will no longer be guaranteed for asylum seekers, and those who can work or have assets will have to contribute to their costs in the UK.
•Families with children could also be subject to enforced returns under measures to remove failed asylum seekers, and the Government is launching a consultation on how that should be done.
Syrians with no right to be in the UK could potentially be forcibly returned home following the collapse of Bashar Assad's regime, under plans being considered by the Government.
Folkestone MP Tony Vaughan warned plans to review a refugee’s status every two and a half years would divert "huge amounts of resource away from making our asylum system work".
Referencing Sir Keir Starmer's speech at the Labour Party conference, he said: "The Prime Minister said in September that we are at a fork in the road. "These asylum proposals suggest we have taken the wrong turning."
Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy branded the changes “performatively cruel”.
Writing in the Guardian, she said: “In response to a far-right challenge, this government is proposing to keep victims of torture or persecution in a perpetual limbo by only offering them temporary sanctuary.
“If they wish to stay they will have to reapply for refugee status every two and a half years. Rather than being able to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years, they will have to wait 20.
“This is not just performatively cruel, it’s economically misjudged.”
Another London Labour MP told the Standard: “If they wanted to lose the London boroughs and mayoral elections they could not have seized a better implement to do it with.”
Earlier this year, the Government was forced U-turn on cuts to welfare amid a mass rebellion of backbench MPs.
Kemi Badenoch on Monday offered Conservative support for the Government’s asylum reforms amid the opposition from Labour MPs.
The Conservative leader said: "What we are seeing from the Labour Government is steps in the right direction, so we want to encourage them in that right direction.
"Of course, we have a fully comprehensive borders plan. Some of what we have seen Labour announce is similar but not as much as what we have done.
"We can see that their Labour backbenchers don't like this, so I have offered that we will support the Government in going in the right direction."
