Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama has accused UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood of 'ethnic stereotyping' after Mahmood singled out Albanian families in a recent speech regarding the asylum system. During her announcement of significant reforms aimed at addressing 'out of control and unfair' asylum claims, Mahmood mentioned that approximately 700 Albanian families were living in taxpayer-funded accommodation after their asylum applications were rejected.
Rama criticized Mahmood's statement, questioning the framing of the issue, calling it a 'statistical drop in the ocean of post-Brexit Britain's challenges' and emphasized that Albanians are among the net contributors to the UK economy, with few receiving benefits compared to other communities. He argued that the portrayal of Albanians as primarily a burden is both troubling and an inadequate policy approach.
Official statistics indicate that since the implementation of a returns agreement in 2022, the UK has expelled over 13,000 people to Albania, a deal Rama describes as one of Europe's most effective collaborations on illegal migration. In response to Mahmood's remarks, Rama took to social media asserting that it was inappropriate for a member of the Labour party to mirror the rhetoric commonly associated with the far-right regarding immigration.
Mahmood's proposed reforms, which include significant changes to refugee status rules and deadlines for permanent residence applications, are intended to create a more controlled asylum process. However, her focus on specified ethnic groups in her speech has drawn backlash, prompting discussions on the potential implications of such comments on community relations in the UK.
