Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has claimed that nearly all women arriving in the UK on small boats from northern France have been raped during their journey, warning that people traffickers exploit asylum seekers because they control who makes the crossing.
Key facts
- Shabana Mahmood said nearly all women reaching the UK by small boat from northern France have been raped on their journey.
- The claim was made in an interview with The Rest Is Politics podcast.
- Mahmood warned that people traffickers exploit asylum seekers because they decide who comes to the UK.
- She said far-right, balaclava-wearing activists would 'kill' or 'kick me out of my own country' if they took power.
Nearly all women who attempt to reach the UK in small boats from northern France have been raped during their journey, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has claimed, according to The Guardian.
Speaking in an interview with The Rest Is Politics podcast, Mahmood framed the issue around the role of people traffickers, warning that they exploit asylum seekers because they decide who makes the crossing to the UK.
Her comments draw attention to the dangers faced by migrants attempting the route across the Channel, and to the control that smuggling networks exert over those making the journey.
In the same interview, Mahmood also addressed the political climate, saying that far-right, balaclava-wearing activists would ‘kill’ or ‘kick me out of my own country’ if they came to power, according to The Guardian.
The remarks place the Home Secretary’s warnings about trafficking alongside her concerns about the rise of far-right activism, linking the treatment of asylum seekers to wider questions about who controls migration routes into the UK.
The Guardian reported the comments on 4 October 2026.
Why it matters
The Home Secretary's claim highlights the extreme dangers faced by women travelling to the UK via small boats and the role of trafficking networks in exploiting them. Her remarks also feed into a broader national debate about migration policy and the influence of far-right politics.
Frequently asked questions
What did Shabana Mahmood say about women crossing in small boats?
She claimed that nearly all women who try to reach the UK in small boats from northern France have been raped on their journey, according to The Guardian.
Where did she make these comments?
Mahmood made the claims in an interview with The Rest Is Politics podcast.
What did Mahmood say about far-right activists?
She said far-right, balaclava-wearing activists would 'kill' or 'kick me out of my own country' if they took power, according to The Guardian.