Mahmood, the UK home secretary, is closely monitoring EU-Kabul talks and has not ruled out similar UK discussions, despite Afghanistan’s human rights crisis and the UK’s current policy against returns.
Afghans were the largest group arriving by small boat in the year to June 2025, with 6,360 arrivals, while UK grant rates for Afghan asylum seekers have dropped from 99% in 2023 to 38% in early 2025.
EU countries, including Germany, have begun deportations to Afghanistan, prompting humanitarian concerns. Mahmood has also tightened asylum and visa rules, and the UK government does not currently recognize the Taliban-led regime.
With asylum grants plummeting, what future awaits rejected Afghans trapped in the UK?
Is the UK's tough stance on Afghan asylum seekers a workable policy or just political theatre?
What price will the UK pay for striking a 'dirty deal' with the Taliban?
Will deporting Afghans actually stop small boat crossings or just create a new crisis?
Are officials aware of new Taliban laws that value a woman's life less than an animal's?