Albania's prime minister accused Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood of ethnic stereotyping after she singled out Albanian families in a speech about abuses of the asylum system.
Edi Rama criticised Mahmood for telling MPs around 700 Albanian families were living in taxpayer-funded accommodation having failed their asylum claims as she announced major reforms on Monday.
Rama called the number a statistical drop in the ocean of post-Brexit Britain's challenges.
Official data show the UK has deported more than 13,000 people to Albania since a returns deal was signed in 2022. Rama called the deal one of Europe's most successful partnerships on illegal migration.
Mahmood's comments came as she announced major changes to the UK's out of control and unfair asylum system.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mahmood said: If we fail to deal with this crisis, we will draw more people down a path that starts with anger and ends in hatred. The reforms will make refugee status temporary, extend the wait for permanent settlement from five years to 20, and allow the removal of families with children who have no right to remain.
Rama responded on social media, questioning how a Labour Home Secretary could echo far-right rhetoric by singling out a small number of Albanian families. He emphasized that official policy should not be driven by ethnic stereotypes, urging a holistic view of the contributions Albanian citizens make to the UK economy.
