Mahmood signals rethink on migrants' right to remain
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Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on migrant rights
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has signalled she is willing to rethink plans to make it harder for foreign workers to claim permanent residence in the UK.
The home secretary has been under pressure from a significant number of Labour MPs, including Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, and trade unions to water down these proposals.
In a speech at Labour's annual conference, Mahmood acknowledged concerns that "some have said elements of these reforms are not fair". She promised the government would find a balance that is both fair to those who came here legally and fair to British citizens.
Current and Proposed Changes
Permanent residence, or indefinite leave to remain, grants individuals the right to live, work, and study in the UK indefinitely and allows them to apply for benefits if eligible.
Mahmood proposed doubling the time it takes for most migrants to qualify for this right from five to 10 years. She also suggested much longer waits – 15 years for those on health and social care visas and 20 years for those reliant on benefits for over a year.
Earlier criticism of these proposals:
- Angela Rayner accused the government of "moving the goalposts" and called the plans "un-British".
- Unison's Andrea Egan argued that changes would unfairly penalise overseas care workers.
Home Office Sources: No final decision on immigration rule changes has been made, and Mahmood outlined guiding principles in her conference speech.
Quotes from Key Figures:
Mahmood:
"As we restore control and fairness to our asylum system, we must do the same for legal migration too... That same principle underpins my reforms..."
Conservative Spokesperson:
"Shabana Mahmood has caved in to pressure from Angela Rayner and her open borders MPs and will shred her own plans to reform indefinite leave to remain."
Prime Minister Andy Burnham:
"I'm both of them... It just reflects that there's a consultation, there's different not just opinions from politicians... We're in the process now of looking at that."