Cooper rejects claims Reeves has been sidelined on economic policy by No 10 mini-reshuffle – UK politics live

‘Quite the reverse’, says home secretary, amid reports Starmer’s reorganisation is aimed at freezing chancellor out ahead of autumn budget

In interviews this morning Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, confirmed that the government will be contacting international students telling them that if they overstay their visas, they will be removed. The Home Office is concerned about the growing number of people who come to the UK legally on student visas but then claim asylum when they are meant to return home.

According to the BBC, students will be sent text messages and emails saying:

If you submit an asylum claim that lacks merit, it will be swiftly and robustly refused.

Any request for asylum support will be assessed against destitution criteria. If you do not meet the criteria, you will not receive support.

If nothing has changed in their country, people should not be claiming asylum at the end of a student course. We need to clamp down on that and that’s why we’re sending these messages to be very clear to people – the asylum system is not for people who just want to extend their visas.