Ms. Mahmood mentioned, ‘For countries that do not cooperate, we are discussing coordinated actions among the Five Eyes countries. This might include reducing visa availability in the future to emphasize that we expect countries to adhere to the rules. If a citizen does not have the right to be in our country, their home country needs to accept their return.’ She also highlighted that this proposal is a promising area for collaboration, especially concerning countries that fail to reclaim their citizens.

She emphasized her commitment to stopping small boat crossings by saying, ‘This government operates with Labour policies and proposals. We have been exploring this issue for some time, and it has been addressed throughout the government. We must have a robust strategy for managing our borders, which includes informing non-compliant countries that we won’t let our laws go unenforced.’

However, these measures may be based on actions first suggested by former Tory home secretary Dame Priti Patel in 2021, which led to the introduction of legislation the following year. The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 grants the home secretary the authority to enforce a ‘visa penalty provision’ against a country. This applies if a nation is not cooperating with the return of nationals from the United Kingdom, as stated in the law.

This is the first announcement made by Ms. Mahmood, whose predecessor, Yvette Cooper, was recently reassigned as Foreign Secretary after struggling to manage the small boats crisis. Specifics of these proposals are still forthcoming. It is also uncertain if this will involve a reciprocal agreement, where citizens of a third country that does not cooperate with Britain could face similar visa restrictions in other Five Eyes nations.

The ministers issued a joint declaration clarifying that countries are obligated to accept the return of individuals who have no legal right to stay. This development follows the surge in small boat crossings, which have surpassed 30,000 this year, with 1,097 crossings on Saturday alone. These arrivals represent a 37 percent increase compared to the same time last year. In response, ministers are considering using military bases to house asylum seekers as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer struggles with the migrant situation.

Defence minister Luke Pollard indicated today that previously-scrapped plans to accommodate migrants at the historic Dambusters base at RAF Scampton could be back on the cards. Under the previous Conservative government almost £50million was spent on plans to turn the disused Lincolnshire site into an asylum camp. But Labour canned the project in September 2024 saying that it would not provide ‘value for money’. But today Mr Pollard said MoD military planners were reviewing all sites including Scampton as part of a new government push to close down migrant hotels.

He said: ‘The Home Office has looked at accommodation, has decided against accommodation that the Ministry of Defence offered in the past. ‘But we’re looking at all of them again at the moment. ‘We’re looking at all the military sites that the MoD has. ‘Some of those have been visited by the Home Office in the past, both under this Government and especially under the previous administration.’