Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will host her counterparts from the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in London on Monday for talks aimed at curbing people‑smuggling, the government said. The meeting, involving members of the Five Eyes intelligence partnership, is Mahmood’s first major international engagement since her appointment to the post.
The talks come as Channel crossings continue at high levels. Home Office figures show 1,097 people arrived in the UK in small boats on Saturday — Mahmood’s first full day as home secretary — bringing the total number of arrivals by small boat to more than 30,000 so far this year. Analysis by the PA news agency indicated that figure is about 37% higher than the same period last year. Mahmood described the numbers as "utterly unacceptable."
Among those expected to attend is US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. Officials said the agenda will cover ways to disrupt cross‑border smuggling networks, reduce the flow of people across the Channel and address related transnational threats, including child sexual abuse online and the spread of deadly synthetic opioids.
Mahmood’s meeting follows a cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who has urged his new ministers to accelerate work on issues of concern to voters, according to Defence Secretary John Healey. Healey said the government is examining options to expand the use of military sites to house asylum seekers as part of efforts to move people out of so‑called asylum hotels, and that officials are also considering other types of non‑military accommodation.
The proposal to use military sites drew criticism from refugee advocates. Enver Soloman, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said the focus should instead be on producing "faster, fairer decisions and safe housing in communities, so refugees can work, study and rebuild their lives."
The planned London talks mark an early test of Mahmood’s approach to a high‑profile and politically sensitive policy area. Participants from Five Eyes partners will discuss operational cooperation and intelligence sharing aimed at dismantling smuggling networks, while also addressing online exploitation and the international trafficking of synthetic drugs, officials said.
The UK government has faced sustained pressure to stem small‑boat crossings in recent years, with successive ministers seeking cross‑border and domestic measures to deter irregular migration and accelerate processing. The outcomes of Monday’s meeting are expected to shape immediate operational priorities but officials did not disclose specific enforcement or policy measures ahead of the talks.