There is understood to be growing unease in party over home secretary’s sweeping overhaul of refugee rights Shabana Mahmood has warned Labour MPs that “dark forces are stirring up anger” over migration, amid growing alarm among senior party figures over the most sweeping overhaul of refugee rights in a generation. On Monday, Mahmood will announce controversial new laws to overhaul refugee status, which must be reassessed every two years, as well as curbing asylum appeals and toughening the approach to rights to family life. Restricting asylum seekers to one single appeal rather than different appeals on multiple grounds. Creating a new body for fast-tracking cases for dangerous criminals and those with little hope of success. Legislating to restrict last-minute modern slavery claims Joining other countries in seeking reform of ECHR article 3 rights, to more narrowly define the risk of torture and degrading treatment. Changing the Home Office’s duty to provide support to asylum seekers to a discretionary power, enabling them to potentially be removed from accommodation. Continue reading...

Lawyers call for clarity over law as six are found guilty while being stopped from using defence used by fellow activists