Labour's first 100 days in office: our scorecard

Saturday marked 100 days since Labour assumed power, ending 14 years of Conservative rule. The immigration and asylum system is a mess, following years of chronic mismanagement and a determination to pursue ever more cruel and punitive measures no matter the harm caused to the individuals affected and the broader public.
To fix this, Labour will have to be ambitious and recalibrate entirely the way a British government addresses immigration, viewing it not as a problem or source of fear but recognising it as a societal good that continues to be influenced by Britain’s colonial past. This was not going to happen overnight, but the day after Labour’s seismic victory we proposed six quick fixes for their first 100 days in power. Here’s our scorecard on how they’ve done.
1. Introduce a fee waiver for the bereaved partner concession
Grade: A
Though it took longer than we would have liked, on 9 September Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra, announced that a fee waiver would be introduced. This came into force on 9 October, meaning grieving widows will no longer be priced out of permanent immigration status to which they are entitled.
This should have been a given, and thankfully Labour did not disappoint.
2. Start processing asylum claims again
Grade: C
Labour immediately scrapped the Conservative’s cash for humans Rwanda deal. They then confirmed that they would begin processing claims of the 90,000 people earmarked for deportation to Rwanda, and whose claims the previous government effectively paused indefinitely. This was a good start.
Reports have though since surfaced that it may take 3 years to clear the asylum backlog. Labour have pledged to recruit more decision-makers to speed things up, and this is encouraging. However, speed cannot come at the expense of quality, and the government must ensure that everyone’s claim is assessed thoroughly and fairly.
Worryingly, in September Keir Starmer visited Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. She said Starmer showed "great interest" in Italy’s deal with Albania, which will see asylum seekers sent to the latter whilst their claims are considered. This is seriously concerning.
3. Give people on 3C leave proof of their status
Grade: F
In June, the High Court ruled that the government’s failure to provide digital proof of status to people on 3C leave was unlawful. Though the Conservatives sought permission to appeal, this was refused.
We hoped Labour would abandon this appeal and start giving people digital proof of their 3C leave status. This would massively reduce the risk of such people being wrongly classified as lacking immigration status by employers, the DWP, universities/colleges and landlords.
Regrettably, Labour has instead appealed to the Court of Appeal. The government does not dispute that tens of thousands of people on 3C leave suffer detriment each year through being unable to prove their status. Even if the government’s failure to provide proof of status is ultimately deemed lawful, it still doesn’t mean it’s right. Labour’s approach here is extremely disappointing, and suggests that like their predecessors they have not learned from the Windrush scandal.
4. Commit to simplifying and expanding the family reunion process
Grade: D-
52 people have died attempting to cross the Channel in 2024. There has though been no indication that Labour is prioritising creating more safe routes. Their focus has instead been on increased securitization and militarization of the border. This will push desperate people to take even more dangerous routes in search of safety and family reunification.
It’s difficult to find anything positive to say about Labour’s approach to safe routes, but to their credit, they have started referring to “irregular” rather than “illegal” immigration.
Another very small silver lining is the introduction of new guidance on when people in conflict zones with no visa application centre (VAC) can defer enrolment of their biometrics. We have yet to see whether this will result in any change in practice, with our report, Safe Routes to Nowhere, evidencing how the previous government encouraged unaccompanied children to undertake dangerous and irregular border crossings to attend VACs in neighbouring countries.
5. Commission a review of the no recourse to public funds (NRPF) policy
Grade: F
So far, Labour has said nothing in relation to the NRPF policy. This policy ruins families’ lives and needs scrapping.
6. Grant refugees the right to work whilst their claims are processed
Grade: F
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said far more about punishing and penalising those working without immigration status, and those employing them, than expanding rights to work for those going through the asylum process. Considering Labour now recognise that it will take years to clear the backlog, this is particularly disappointing.
Verdict
First, the positives. Labour scrapped the Rwanda plan, started processing asylum claims again and introduced a fee waiver for the bereaved partner concession. These are quick and welcome fixes.
However, a vision for more systemic and broader change has been sorely lacking, with yet more focus on so-called deterrence than creating safe routes. There has also been limited if any discussion about the hostile environment and the associated harm caused, such as the NRPF policy and the continued association of a lack of documents with a lack of status. Unless this changes, the immigration system will continue causing immense harm to those living it, and public money will be wasted on cruel and ultimately counter-productive measures.

---