UK Labour Looks to Denmark’s Hardline Asylum Playbook to Tackle Migration Crisis
London – Beneath its cosy image of Lego, and progressive television dramas, Denmark has forged one of Europe’s toughest and most controversial approaches to immigration. Now, facing a potent threat from the right and public discontent over asylum, the UK’s Labour Party is looking to the Danish model as a potential blueprint for its own policies.
For years, Denmark has been led by a centre-left government under Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who has pursued an explicit goal of 'zero refugees'. The policy has proven remarkably effective, both in drastically reducing asylum claims to a 40-year low and in neutralising her right-wing political opponents on the issue.
It is this political success that has captured the attention of Sir Keir Starmer and his team. With Reform UK gaining ground and public anger over small boat crossings and asylum hotels showing no signs of abating, Labour is actively studying how its Danish counterparts managed to reclaim the narrative on immigration.
Home Office officials, preparing for a potential Labour government, recently travelled to Copenhagen to learn directly from the Danish system. According to sources, Labour’s prospective Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, and her team are paying close attention to several key Danish policies. These include tight restrictions on family reunification and the use of temporary protection visas, which can be revoked if an asylum seeker's home country is later deemed safe for return.
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The Danish approach, adopted and refined over several years, is built on a series of strict pillars:
Prime Minister Frederiksen’s Social Democrats recognised that to win power and implement their wider social policies, they first had to address the electorate's concerns about uncontrolled migration, a topic that had been dominated by the far-right.
This pragmatic, hardline stance is causing significant friction within the UK Labour Party. MPs on the left have voiced alarm at the prospect of adopting what they see as a draconian path. Nadia Whittome and Clive Lewis have described some Danish ideas as, "hardcore", "dangerous", and "racist".
Among the most extreme Danish policies, which Labour is considered highly unlikely to adopt, are the confiscation of valuable assets like jewellery from arriving migrants and the controversial, "ghetto package". This 2018 plan involved redeveloping residential areas where more than 50% of residents were of 'non-Western' origin, including proposals to demolish social housing.
However, a future Labour government is reportedly considering other tough measures inspired by the Danish model. The Sunday Times reports that successful asylum seekers could be required to repay the costs of their accommodation and benefits, and would only be accepted if they speak a high standard of English and have no criminal record.
What is striking about Labour’s shift is the relative silence from its political rivals. Both the Conservative Party and Reform UK have offered little comment, seemingly wrong-footed by Labour’s move to occupy a traditionally right-wing policy space. For Sir Keir Starmer, that silence may be the clearest sign that the Danish gamble could pay off.
For years, Denmark has been led by a centre-left government under Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who has pursued an explicit goal of 'zero refugees'. The policy has proven remarkably effective, both in drastically reducing asylum claims to a 40-year low and in neutralising her right-wing political opponents on the issue.
It is this political success that has captured the attention of Sir Keir Starmer and his team. With Reform UK gaining ground and public anger over small boat crossings and asylum hotels showing no signs of abating, Labour is actively studying how its Danish counterparts managed to reclaim the narrative on immigration.
Home Office officials, preparing for a potential Labour government, recently travelled to Copenhagen to learn directly from the Danish system. According to sources, Labour’s prospective Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, and her team are paying close attention to several key Danish policies. These include tight restrictions on family reunification and the use of temporary protection visas, which can be revoked if an asylum seeker's home country is later deemed safe for return.
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The Danish approach, adopted and refined over several years, is built on a series of strict pillars:
- Temporary Status: Most refugee or asylum statuses granted are temporary, not permanent. This allows the state to reassess residency if conditions in the country of origin improve.
- Strict Settlement Rules: To gain permanent settlement, asylum seekers must be in full-time employment for an extended period.
- Tough Family Reunification: Both a sponsor and their partner must be at least 24 years old, a rule the Danish government says helps prevent forced marriages. The sponsor must also have a history of financial independence, provide a financial guarantee, and both individuals must pass a Danish language test.
- Offshoring Legislation: In 2021, Denmark passed a law allowing it to move asylum seekers to processing centres in a third country. While a subsequent agreement with Rwanda has been put on hold, the legal framework remains in place.
Prime Minister Frederiksen’s Social Democrats recognised that to win power and implement their wider social policies, they first had to address the electorate's concerns about uncontrolled migration, a topic that had been dominated by the far-right.
This pragmatic, hardline stance is causing significant friction within the UK Labour Party. MPs on the left have voiced alarm at the prospect of adopting what they see as a draconian path. Nadia Whittome and Clive Lewis have described some Danish ideas as, "hardcore", "dangerous", and "racist".
Among the most extreme Danish policies, which Labour is considered highly unlikely to adopt, are the confiscation of valuable assets like jewellery from arriving migrants and the controversial, "ghetto package". This 2018 plan involved redeveloping residential areas where more than 50% of residents were of 'non-Western' origin, including proposals to demolish social housing.
However, a future Labour government is reportedly considering other tough measures inspired by the Danish model. The Sunday Times reports that successful asylum seekers could be required to repay the costs of their accommodation and benefits, and would only be accepted if they speak a high standard of English and have no criminal record.
What is striking about Labour’s shift is the relative silence from its political rivals. Both the Conservative Party and Reform UK have offered little comment, seemingly wrong-footed by Labour’s move to occupy a traditionally right-wing policy space. For Sir Keir Starmer, that silence may be the clearest sign that the Danish gamble could pay off.
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