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Shabana Mahmood Faces Mounting Challenges as First Muslim Woman Home Secretary

Shabana Mahmood becomes UK’s first Muslim woman home secretary, facing tough challenges on migration, asylum, Palestine Action ban, and Reform UK.

Kazi Mahmood

07 Sep 2025 • 3 min read

Shabana Mahmood

LONDON — Shabana Mahmood, newly appointed as the UK’s home secretary, has become the first Muslim woman to lead a great office of state. The Birmingham Ladywood MP, promoted from justice secretary, faces a daunting in-tray ranging from immigration and asylum to national security and policing.

Mahmood takes office amid growing pressure on Labour to tackle small boat crossings in the Channel. Since coming to power, over 50,000 people have crossed from France, with critics saying people-smuggling gangs remain largely unchallenged. Mahmood is expected to introduce tougher measures on “irregular” asylum seekers and accelerate deportations, a stance she argues reflects her constituents’ views on fair migration rules.

Shabana Mahmood - Challenges

Labour, which pledged to end asylum hotel use, is also under fire after a rise in hotel placements, sparking violent protests. Mahmood will push for faster asylum decisions and alternatives to hotels, including disused bases, modular housing, and student flats.

Another test will be reducing net migration following Labour’s by-election defeat to Reform UK. Proposed changes include stricter study and work visas and English-language requirements, potentially cutting arrivals by 100,000. Businesses, universities, and the NHS, however, warn of risks from labour shortages.

Meanwhile, Mahmood inherits the controversial proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist group, a decision that has triggered opposition from rights groups and voters disillusioned with Labour’s Gaza stance. Hundreds are expected to rally in London this weekend against the ban.

Her handling of these issues may prove critical in curbing Reform UK’s rising electoral appeal.

WF News