What are the priorities for the new home secretary, Shabana Mahmood?

"The MP for Birmingham Ladywood has won admirers for being an effective justice secretary and persuasive communicator while forcing through potentially explosive policies such as prisoners' early release schemes and a new sentencing regime. But her ability to tackle her new responsibilities which include immigration, national security and policing will be seen as key to curbing the growing electoral threat of Nigel Farage's Reform UK party."

"Since 2018, six Conservative home secretaries and Mahmood's predecessor, Yvette Cooper, have tried and failed to curb a steady rise in the number of people attempting to make it to the UK by climbing into small boats in France. Critics have pointed out that the push factors of war, famine and climate change are beyond the control of the UK government. But at the general election, Labour pledged to smash people-smuggling gangs and reduce Channel crossing numbers."

"I look at a community that I represent which is 70% non-white. If you ask my constituents, they want a fair managed migration system. Most of them will say they came in on the basis of really quite strict rules that they followed to come to this country to work and make a life for themselves. I just don't know why we've got ourselves in a tangle talking about"

Shabana Mahmood has been promoted from lord chancellor to home secretary as the first Muslim woman in that role. She previously served as justice secretary and implemented measures such as prisoners' early release schemes and a new sentencing regime. Her remit covers immigration, national security and policing, central to stemming Channel crossings and countering Nigel Farage's Reform UK threat. Since 2018, successive home secretaries have failed to halt rising small-boat arrivals. Labour pledged to smash people-smuggling gangs and reduce crossings. Mahmood is expected to tighten asylum rules for irregular arrivals and make removals easier, reflecting constituency support for managed migration.

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