Shabana Mahmood

The UK government is set to announce new refugee resettlement routes for Afghan women and girls and Palestinians, according to a Guardian report linked to announcements at the Labour Party conference in 2026. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is associated with the scheme, which is drawing attention amid ongoing debate over migration and asylum policy.

The UK government is set to open new refugee resettlement routes for Afghan women and girls as well as Palestinians, according to a report in the Guardian. The announcement is linked to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and marks a shift in UK resettlement policy. The scheme is expected to offer safe pathways for groups facing acute risk, though details on eligibility and numbers have not yet been fully outlined.

Angela Rayner has publicly criticised Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's proposals to make it harder for migrant workers to gain settled status in the UK, warning the plans would "change the goalposts" for people already living and working in the country. The communities secretary and former deputy prime minister stood by her earlier comments on the issue, exposing a rift at the top of the government over immigration policy.