Mahmood here is moving dangerously towards a Priti Patel/Suella Braverman field: pushing forward her own racial profile to justify mistreating migrants on the basis of 'race relations' claims from the 1960s. She hurts migrants as well as other politicians of colour by playing this game.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood made more explicit her argument that when ethnic minorities face racism, "we have no choice but to ask: what is the cause of our division"
Her answer is the level of net migration, 2019-23 causes racism. (She on Monday said it was caused by the scale of asylum)
Nov 21, 2025 15:42Note that there is no discussion of how and whether actual migratory flows, social contact, or whatever else might be causing the division (or indeed what is the proof of such division). This is taking up the talking points of a political rival and turning it from complaints to legitimate points.
It boils down to '1) Reform are doing well in the polls 2) It means that a majority of the population will become automatically violent if migration goes above a certain limit 3) I am willing to be the person of colour to give a face to such claims'
