Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama criticized UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, accusing her of ethnic stereotyping after she singled out Albanian families in a speech discussing asylum system abuses. Mahmood stated that about 700 Albanian families were living in taxpayer-funded accommodation after failing their asylum claims, a remark that Rama decried as a misunderstanding of the wider migration context.
During her address, Mahmood announced significant reforms to the UK's asylum system, including making refugee status temporary and extending the wait for permanent residence from five years to twenty. Rama contended that her comments unfairly focused on Albanians, stating, This is a statistical drop in the ocean of post-Brexit Britain's challenges.
He mentioned that the UK has successfully deported over 13,000 individuals to Albania since a return agreement was established in 2022 and stressed that Albanians are generally net contributors to the UK economy. Posting on social media, Rama argued that singling out ethnic groups is not just poor policy but also a troubling tactic fueled by populism.
This remark marks another clash between Rama and UK politicians, including a previous confrontation with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer regarding the UK's treatment of Albanian nationals. Rama urged that public policy should not be driven by ethnic stereotypes, which he deemed unacceptable for a country like Great Britain.
As the UK government moves forward with these reforms, the implications of framing migration issues around ethnic groups may further strain relationships between countries reliant on cooperative immigration agreements.
