LONDON: The UK government announced Monday it is suspending applications from refugees seeking to bring family members into the country, saying the pause will give time to tighten the rules—its latest move to curb rising arrivals.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour administration faces growing pressure to stem the flow of asylum seekers crossing the Channel in small boats, a surge that has fueled weeks of sometimes violent protests at hotels housing migrants.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament that requests for family reunions have sharply increased, with many refugees now seeking to bring relatives within a month—compared with waits of one to two years as recently as 2019. She said the suspension would remain in place while tougher rules are drawn up. “The system must be fair and properly enforced, not shaped by chaos and criminal smuggler gangs,” Cooper said.
Critics accuse the government of moving too slowly, but ministers argue they are grappling with problems left by past Conservative-led governments, including a backlog of asylum claims and limited international return agreements. Still, public frustration has boosted Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, which now leads consistently in opinion polls—pushing Labour to take a harder stance.
Under existing rules, refugees with indefinite leave to remain can apply to bring a partner—if they can prove a two-year relationship—and children under 18. So far this year, more than 29,000 people have arrived in Britain via small boats, a 38% rise from the same period in 2024.
