UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – New Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood hinted at Labour leadership, saying it’s dishonest for any politician to deny wanting the top job.
As reported by The Telegraph, Shabana Mahmood suggested she may hold Labour leadership ambitions, saying politicians who deny it are not being truthful.
She is seen as a Labour rising star but said her focus remains on succeeding in her role and serving under Sir Keir Starmer.
Shabana Mahmood’s views on political ambition
At the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, when asked if she wanted to be a leader, Shabana Mahmood responded,
“You should not believe anyone in politics who says they are not ambitious about the top job, because they are basically lying to you.”
Her comments come amid Labour leadership rumours, following Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham saying MPs urged him to challenge Sir Keir.
Reiterating her stance, Ms Mahmood said she is not seeking party leadership and is fully committed to her role as Home Secretary and improving migration systems.
She said she has always been honest as an MP but emphasized Labour members are expected to be loyal, adding she is “happy to serve Keir Starmer.”
As Home Secretary, Ms Mahmood’s public profile has grown, taking on the small boats crisis and the rising popularity of Nigel Farage’s migration policies.
She revealed she had aimed to be a successful barrister, never planned a political career, and was inspired by Kavanagh QC, before entering public service.
Ms Mahmood slammed Mr Farage as “worse than a racist” after her family suffered abuse in recent weeks.
The Home Secretary called Reform’s plan to block non-European settlement “divisive,” accusing it of appealing to racist voters.
She described the measures as “immoral” and “extremist,” urging Labour to give an alternative “course for the country and to make a bigger argument that can stem that kind of hatred.”
Last week, the Home Secretary announced Labour plans to remove migrants from the UK unless they meet ‘good citizen’ criteria.
What did Shabana Mahmood say about digital IDs and benefit fraud?
On Tuesday, Shabana Mahmood said the new digital ID, revealed by the Prime Minister, could help tackle benefit fraud, calling it “a no-brainer” to prevent cheating.
The home secretary stated the scheme aims to target illegal migrants in the black market, adding,
“It’s not just about the working environment, it’s benefits and all sorts of other areas. Ordinary people who work hard and are doing the right thing feel completely robbed when they see someone who does not play by the rules get away with it.”
She suggested expanding digital IDs to prevent benefits fraud alongside illegal migration, describing the move as a straightforward solution for the public.
What did Shabana Mahmood say about Labour’s migration crackdown?
Shabana Mahmood told Labour members they might not approve of her migration crackdown.
She said,
“Today the boats continue to arrive so I will do whatever it takes to secure our borders, cracking down on the criminal gangs behind the trade.”
Ms Mahmood stated,
“In solving this crisis, you may not always like what I do. We will have to question some of the assumptions and legal constraints that have lasted for a generation and more.”
She added,
“But unless we have control of our borders and until we can decide who comes in and who must leave, we will never be the open, tolerant and generous country that I know we all believe in.”
The Home Secretary called for a “greater Britain,” urging Labour to promote its own patriotism to tackle rising “ethnonationalism” in the UK.
What did Keir Starmer say about Reform UK’s immigration plans?
Keir Starmer slammed Reform UK’s plans to strip thousands of people of their right to live in Britain, calling them “racist.”
He said,
“I do think that it is a racist policy. I do think it is immoral. It needs to be called out for what it is.”
When asked whether Reform UK was appealing to racist voters, the Labour leader responded,
“No, I think there are plenty of people who either vote Reform or are thinking of voting Reform who are frustrated. They had 14 years of failure under the Conservatives, they want us to change things. They may have voted Labour a year ago, and they want the change to come more quickly. I actually do understand that.”
Mr Starmer added,
“It is one thing to say we’re going to remove illegal migrants, people who have no right to be here. I’m up for that. It is a completely different thing to say we are going to reach in to people who are lawfully here and start removing them. They are our neighbours. They’re people who work in our economy. They are part of who we are. It will rip this country apart.”
YouGov’s poll about the Reform and Labour parties
The YouGov MRP poll shows Reform UK could win 311 seats, just shy of a majority, mostly taking from Labour.
Labour is projected to drop to 144 seats, while the Conservatives could win between 45 and 68 seats and the Liberal Democrats between 65 and 86 seats, highlighting a major shift in the UK political landscape.