Labour’s push to emulate Denmark’s tough migration model is built on a "fundamental misunderstanding" of how the Scandinavian system actually works, a leading immigration expert has warned.
Michael Knowles told GB News that ministers are "lifting the language of Denmark without the mechanics", insisting the Government’s crackdown is doomed to falter unless it includes the same deterrents that make Copenhagen’s approach effective.
It has been revealed today that the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is planning to unveil sweeping changes to the asylum system, notably introducing a Danish-style framework to limit how long refugees can stay in the country.
Insiders say the minister’s plan lifts directly from Denmark’s playbook with tougher rules, temporary status that can be repeatedly reviewed, and swift removal of migrants the moment their home countries are judged safe.
Michael Knowles told GB News that ministers are 'lifting the language of Denmark without the mechanics'
|GB NEWS
"Labour keep pointing to Denmark as the gold standard, but they’re skipping the single most important part of the Danish model," Mr Knowles said.
"Denmark reduced crossings by making it absolutely clear that asylum seekers would be processed overseas. Without that deterrent, the whole thing collapses."
He warned that the Government’s current blueprint "sounds tough on paper" but lacks the enforcement tools needed to stop the flow of small boat arrivals.
"Denmark didn’t just talk about offshoring, they legislated for it, prepared for it and made it credible. Labour haven’t done any of that," he added.
"You can’t copy the outcomes if you don’t copy the methods."
Shabana Mahmood has vowed to be tougher on the small boats crisis | PAMr Knowles said the UK risks "another cycle of promises and disappointment" if ministers focus on messaging rather than delivery.
"You can't deter dangerous crossings by tweaking the system around the edges", he said.
"If Labour want Danish results, they need Danish-style deterrence. At the moment, they're skipping the very thing that made Denmark’s strategy work."
Small boat arrivals have surged to almost 40,000 this year, the highest figure since 2022, despite Labour’s pledge to break up the criminal gangs driving the crossings.
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More than 400,000 people have claimed asylum since 2021, nearly three times the number recorded between 2011 and 2015.
Fresh Home Office data released this week shows around 50,000 migrants have been deported or forcibly removed since Labour took office, a rise of 23 per cent compared with the previous 16-month period.
The changes are part of the Government’s bid to take a tougher line on migration and win back voters who backed Reform UK’s hardline approach in the last election.
Polling suggests that if a general election were held today, Reform UK, which won just five of 650 seats in 2024, could emerge as the largest party in Parliament.
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