Angela Rayner has signalled that Shabana Mahmood’s proposed immigration crackdown could be softened after the Housing Secretary opposed measures she described as “un-British”.
Ms Mahmood, the Home Secretary, has been developing plans to make migrant workers wait longer before securing indefinite leave to remain (ILR), with proposals including extending the qualifying period from five years to as much as 15.
However, the reforms are now expected to be revised amid the prospect of a Labour rebellion. Ms Rayner had raised concerns about the effect of the proposals on foreign care workers and warned that making migrants already living in Britain wait longer to settle permanently would be a “breach of trust”.
Speaking to Sky News, Ms Rayner suggested the Home Secretary would bring forward a revised system following a Government consultation on the ILR plans.
She said Ms Mahmood had done an “incredible job” in reducing both illegal and legal immigration, and would produce an approach that was fair to taxpayers while recognising the contribution of migrants working in public services.
“She had a consultation about what is the best route for people who come here and people who are already here,” Ms Rayner said.
“And she’s looking at that information. I’ve every confidence that Shabana will come up with a fair system that is fair to the taxpayers of today, that are fair and recognise the contribution that people make who come to this country, who work in our public services.”
Ms Rayner said she would be “fully supporting Shabana in the task that she set herself”, adding that the public wanted “a fair process”. She said the consultation had received more than 200 contributions and expressed confidence that the final plans would restore trust in the immigration system.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has backed the principle that indefinite leave to remain should be a “right to be earned”, but has not committed to introducing all of Ms Mahmood’s proposals.
Chris Philp, the Conservative shadow home secretary, has previously claimed that Ms Rayner was “now dictating Britain’s migration policy” after what he called Ms Mahmood’s “surrender” to Labour’s Left.
