Why the UK’s toughest immigration voices are often politicians of colour

In the UK, a growing number of ethnic minority politicians have taken prominent roles in advocating for stricter immigration policies. This trend is particularly visible at the Home Office, where successive ethnic minority Home Secretaries, including Sajid Javid, Priti Patel, Suella Braverman, James Cleverly and Shabana Mahmood, have advanced tougher approaches to border control. Javid, for example, stated he would not allow entry to people like his parents under current proposed rules. Despite the increasingly restrictive rhetoric, overall immigration numbers have risen. This pattern highlights the complex intersection of race, political legitimacy, and immigration debates within British politics. The trend reveals how politicians of colour are increasingly fronting restrictive border policies.

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