Shabana Mahmood

Shabana Mahmood is the current Home Secretary in the UK. As Home Secretary, she is at the forefront of significant changes to policing and immigration policies. Recent news highlights her role in overhauling policing, including introducing strict emergency response time limits and creating a new national police force dubbed the 'British FBI'. She is also responsible for controversial decisions such as scrapping the recording of non-crime hate incidents, a move criticized by disability advocates, and the rollout of facial recognition technology. Mahmood's position is further complicated by the government's plans to house asylum seekers on former military sites, a policy facing local opposition. As chair of Labour's NEC, she was involved in the decision to block Andy Burnham from a byelection race, sparking internal party conflict. Her actions and decisions are highly relevant due to their direct impact on public safety, civil liberties, and the political landscape.