Shabana Mahmood bans migrants from being housed in new-build homes

Shabana Mahmood has banned migrants from being housed in new-build homes after it emerged 83 asylum seekers were being moved into properties worth £250,000.

Shropshire's Stoke Heath development had been dubbed "Migrant Street" after 21 smart new-build homes had been earmarked for asylum seekers.

Outraged locals last night fumed about being lied to about the plans and vowed to fight against the scheme.

However, the Home Office tonight told GB News that new processes introduced earlier this year would stop new-build sites being considered.

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A Home Office spokesman told The People's Channel: "New houses should never house asylum seekers.

"Earlier this year, the Home Secretary introduced robust processes to ensure new-build sites like Stoke Heath can never be considered again."

GB News understands that the Stoke Heath development pre-dated the new processes introduced by Ms Mahmood earlier this year.

Ms Mahmood's measures clarified the criteria for sites considered via this process, specifically drawing out factors which are known to exacerbate focus on sites or potentially increase social tensions

However, the Home Office's statement appeared to take a swipe at Ms Mahmood's predecessors, including fellow Labour Cabinet Minister Yvette Cooper.

Ms Cooper, who is considered a long shot for the Labour leadership, served as Home Secretary from July 2024 to September 2025.

She also negotiated the UK's "one-in, one-out" deal with France.

The Home Office's statement to GB News also came after residents in Stoke Heath alleged one migrant family had already moved into one of the properties.

It is not yet clear whether Ms Mahmood's ban will mean asylum seekers are removed or relocated from the Stoke Heath site.

Speaking to GB News earlier today, local MP Mark Pritchard said: "First of all, the Government has done this by stealth.

"Local people were not consulted, not even the local parish council, so people think there's been a lack of transparency, and this has actually been done in secrecy.

"There's a reason for that, and I think the number of asylum seekers potentially coming into Stoke Heath is unsustainable."

Responding to GB News's exclusive, Mr Pritchard added: "With so many empty public buildings available, where asylum seekers could be housed, and with so many of my constituents struggling to find suitable rental housing in their own local villages and towns, a ban on migrants being allowed to move into new-builds, would be a late but welcome development.

"The Government now needs to abandon plans to put asylum seekers into Stoke Heath's new-build housing."

Ms Mahmood was alerted about local concerns last week when West Mercia Police & Crime Commissioner John Campion penned a 338-word letter to the Home Secretary.

Mr Campion said: "Stoke Heath is a small, rural village with a settled population of just a few hundred people.

"It has no significant infrastructure in respect of shops or transport. For example, the nearest bus stop is a 30-minute walk from the village.

"There are also concerns that existing local services such as doctor’s surgeries and schools are simply not able to accommodate such a large percentage increase in the local population and the level of demand that inevitably comes with that."

Mr Campion added: "It is also deeply disappointing that the Home Office has seemingly taken such a poor approach to stakeholder engagement in this case.

"My understanding is that local communities and public services had little to no warning of this decision and its implementation, which is both disrespectful and inappropriate.

"The Home Office does not take decisions in a vacuum. Its actions have real-life consequences for people, communities and services."

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