Labour’s Border Security and Asylum Minister Sends Chilling Message to Kemi Badenoch Over Her Comments on Asylum Seekers and Council Housing

Labour’s Border Security and Asylum Minister, Anna Turley, has criticised Kemi Badenoch’s proposal to stop foreign nationals from living in council homes, calling the plan “dangerous” and saying it is mainly designed to attract attention.

Speaking to GB News, Turley responded after the Conservative leader announced a proposal that would see nearly 230,000 non-EU foreign national households removed from council housing. Badenoch said the homes should instead be made available to British families if the Conservatives win the next General Election. She also said migrants from any country, including those from EU member states, would no longer be allowed to start new council housing tenancies under the proposed policy.

Turley rejected the idea, saying that people who currently qualify for social housing already have a legal right to live in the UK. She explained that they are settled in the country and, in many cases, are working towards or claiming British citizenship. She argued that allowing them to live in local communities helps them become part of society and supports successful integration.

She also warned that removing these people from council housing could create a much bigger homelessness problem. According to Turley, forcing people out of their homes could lead to more people sleeping on the streets at a time when the Government says it wants to reduce homelessness across the country.

Turley pointed to the previous Conservative government, saying homelessness increased during its time in office. She argued that introducing a policy like this could make the situation even worse rather than solving the housing shortage.

At the same time, the Labour minister agreed that the Government must deal with the factors that encourage people to come to Britain illegally. She said Labour is taking action by increasing efforts to tackle illegal working and breaking up the networks that support illegal migration.

Turley also made it clear that asylum seekers are not entitled to social housing. She said people seeking asylum are instead accommodated in places such as military bases and other government-provided sites while their cases are being dealt with. She said this system is designed to manage asylum seekers while protecting local communities.

During the interview, GB News presenter Ellie Costello also questioned Turley about Labour’s handling of the ongoing small boats crisis.

Turley said that no small boats had arrived on the day of the interview and claimed the Government was encouraged by a recent fall in crossings. She argued that the numbers had dropped since Labour came to power because of stronger action against the criminal gangs involved in people smuggling. She said the Government has targeted the supply chains used to build and transport the inflatable boats, making it harder for smugglers to operate.

She also repeated the Government’s message that people should not risk their lives by crossing the English Channel in small boats. Instead, she said Labour is working to expand safe and legal routes for those who genuinely qualify for asylum in the UK while continuing to strengthen border enforcement.

Turley said the Government had made progress but stressed there was still more work to do. She added that Labour’s long-term goal is to stop people believing that crossing the Channel in small boats is an acceptable or successful way of entering Britain, while continuing to crack down on illegal crossings and the criminal gangs behind them.