‘Fairytale Of Open Borders’: Mahmood Slams Zack Polanski As She Unveils Immigration Crackdown

Posted on 04/03/2026 by Boris Clair

Shabana Mahmood will accuse Zack Polanksi of pursuing a “fairytale of open borders” as she unveils her controversial crackdown on immigration.

The home secretary will say the Green Party leader wants to introduce “the most expensive and expansive migration policies anywhere in the world” if he becomes prime minister.

Mahmood will also take on left-wing Labour MPs who wanted her to water down her plans to make it harder for immigrants to stay in the UK in the wake of the party’s humiliation in last week’s Gorton and Denton by-election.

Labour, which had held the seat with a majority of nearly 13,500 majority, came in third place as the Greens’ Hannah Spencer pulled off a historic victory.

Mahmood will insist that “restoring order and control at our border is not a betrayal of Labour values, it is an embodiment of them” and say it is the only way to halt the rise of the far-right.

Asylum seekers who break the law or work illegally will be thrown out of taxpayer-funded accommodation and lose their benefits, the home secretary will announce as part of her package of reforms.

They will also have their refugee status reviewed every 30 months in an effort to make the UK less attractive for illegal immigrants.

In a major speech, she will say: “Some say that we should turn to the path proposed by the Greens. That we should create a world without borders, that nation states are social constructs and patriotism is a dirty word.

“To some, this might seem like harmless student politics. But the danger and the possible damage is real. A party leader who seeks the highest office in the land should not be on the beaches of France helping migrants onto small boats encouraging them to make a perilous crossing.

“Creating further incentives to come to this country illegally, increasing the already vast burden placed on taxpayers in this country. Polanski calls for the most expensive and expansive migration policies anywhere in the world.”

Cracking down on small boat crossings will put Labour on the side of ordinary voters, the home secretary will say.

“When people see small boat arrivals, at their current scale or they feel the pace and scale of migration today, they feel like we have lost control,” she will say.

“A loss of control breeds fear and when fearful, people turn inwards. Their vision of this country narrows. Their patriotism turns into something smaller, something darker, an ethno-nationalism emerges.

“The idea of a greater Britain gives way to the lure of a littler England. And other voices – voices to the far right – take hold.”

Addressing criticism that she had gone too far in her desire to make the UK less attractive for illegal immigrants, Mahmood will say her reforms will offer “a compassionate but controlled asylum system”.

“Providing sanctuary to those genuinely fleeing persecution while striking at the vile smuggling gangs and restoring order at the border,” she will say. “Ensuring the right to live in this country forever is there, for those who seek a better life which comes with responsibilities to contribute to our national life.”

MPs Split Social Media By Dancing In Parliament With Strictly Stars

Posted on 04/03/2026 by Boris Clair

Some MPs have divided the internet after they were filmed dancing in parliament even as the crisis in the Middle East rages.

Parliamentarians, including the Speaker of the Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, gathered in Portcullis House on Wednesday morning while Strictly Come Dancing stars Angela Rippon and Alex Kingston showed them some moves.

The event was meant to promote how dancing can boost health and wellbeing, but others have slammed the gathering for being insensitive.

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Strictly stars visit Parliament to teach the Speaker and MPs how to dance

The event was held to promote the health and wellbeing benefits of dancing pic.twitter.com/d5gGcZRZUs

— ITVPolitics (@ITVNewsPolitics) March 4, 2026

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Strictly stars visit Parliament to teach the Speaker and MPs how to dance

The event was held to promote the health and wellbeing benefits of dancing pic.twitter.com/d5gGcZRZUs

— ITVPolitics (@ITVNewsPolitics) March 4, 2026

Since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, Tehran’s retaliatory strikes have pulled the whole of the Middle East into disarray.

The UK is currently weighing up how to defend its own military base in Cyprus following an Iranian drone attack.

Keir Starmer has already given the US permission to use its British bases to target Iran, too.

International affairs aside, MPs have also come under scrutiny this week after the independent expenses watchdog announced their basic salary will rise by 5% to £98,599 in April.

So people have, naturally, been questioning the timing of this dance lesson while clips of jubiliant MPs have been repeatedly on social media.

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The optics of MPs doing Strictly Come Dancing in Parliament while the world teeters on the brink of World War Three is completely inappropriate.

It says all you need to know about Westminster. pic.twitter.com/grx3hxTqTh

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) March 4, 2026

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The optics of MPs doing Strictly Come Dancing in Parliament while the world teeters on the brink of World War Three is completely inappropriate.

It says all you need to know about Westminster. pic.twitter.com/grx3hxTqTh

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) March 4, 2026

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The Commons Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle and Angela Rippon lead a dancing class in Parliament’s Portcullis House with MPs. So while global conflicts rage and the UK endures a cost of living crisis, it’s heartening to see our MPs having a dance. FFS.pic.twitter.com/V4Ze6Rm1cF

— James Melville 🚜 (@JamesMelville) March 4, 2026

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FFS.pic.twitter.com/V4Ze6Rm1cF— James Melville 🚜 (@JamesMelville) March 4, 2026\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":1280,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/amplify_video_thumb/2029139052285300736/img/xu6qmfcAj_nfpzWV.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":720,"title":"James Melville 🚜 on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/JamesMelville/status/2029202319875731579","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/mps-split-social-media-by-dancing-in-parliament-with-strictly-stars_uk_69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1","entryTagsList":"social-media,iran","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":2},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"Social Media","slug":"social-media","links":{"relativeLink":"news/social-media","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/social-media","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/social-media"},"relegenceId":4993943,"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/social-media/"},{"name":"Iran","slug":"iran","links":{"relativeLink":"news/iran","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/iran","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/iran"},"relegenceId":3686717,"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/iran/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fmps-split-social-media-by-dancing-in-parliament-with-strictly-stars_uk_69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":true,"bodyAds":["

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The Commons Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle and Angela Rippon lead a dancing class in Parliament’s Portcullis House with MPs. So while global conflicts rage and the UK endures a cost of living crisis, it’s heartening to see our MPs having a dance. FFS.pic.twitter.com/V4Ze6Rm1cF

— James Melville 🚜 (@JamesMelville) March 4, 2026

Keir Starmer has given the United States permission to use UK military bases to attack targets in Iran.

The prime minister said he was “protecting British interests and British lives” after Iran launched missile attacks on countries across the Middle East.

That came after the US and Israel bombed Iran in a wave of strikes which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei as well as other senior regime officials.

In a statement from Downing Street, Starmer insisted the UK was not involved in the initial attacks on Iran – and that its actions did not break international law.

He said: “We all remember the mistakes of Iraq. And we have learned those lessons.

“We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran, and we will not join offensive action now.

“But Iran is pursuing a scorched earth strategy. So we are supporting the collective self-defence of our allies and our people in the region, because that is our duty to the British people.

“It is the best way to eliminate the urgent threat and prevent the situation spiralling further.

“This is the British government protecting British interests and British lives.”

It is understood the US will use British bases at RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia to carry out their strikes.

Starmer said there are around 200,000 British citizens in the Gulf region, and that Iran’s actions were putting their lives at risk.

“Over the last two days, Iran has launched sustained attacks across the region at countries who did not attack them,” he said.

“They have hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying. This is clearly a dangerous situation.”

Iran also hit a military base in Bahrain on Saturday, “narrowly missing British personnel”, the PM said.

British jets are already taking part in “defensive” operations in the region, Starmer said.

But he said the only way to stop the Iranian attacks was to target storage depots and the launchers use to fire missiles.

The PM said: “The US has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose.

“We have taken the decision to accept this request, to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk and hitting countries that have not been involved.

“The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of longstanding friends and allies, and protecting British lives. This is in line with international law.”

Green Party leader Zack Polanski criticised Starmer’s decision.

Posting on X, he said: “It took just one phone call from Donald Trump for Starmer to jump into yet another Middle East illegal war, failing to learn the lessons of the tragedies of Iraq, Libya and Syria.”

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It took just one phone call from Donald Trump for Starmer to jump into yet another Middle East illegal war, failing to learn the lessons of the tragedies of Iraq, Libya and Syria. https://t.co/IhCUF9XJ3m

— Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) March 1, 2026

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It took just one phone call from Donald Trump for Starmer to jump into yet another Middle East illegal war, failing to learn the lessons of the tragedies of Iraq, Libya and Syria. https://t.co/IhCUF9XJ3m

— Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) March 1, 2026