Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has signalled that the UK government could rethink plans to make it harder for foreign workers to obtain permanent residence, following pressure from Labour MPs and trade unions.
Mahmood has faced calls to soften the proposed changes, including from Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, who previously criticised the plans.
Speaking at Labour’s annual conference, Mahmood acknowledged that “some have said elements of these reforms are not fair”.
She said the government would “come to a position that balances fairness for those who came here legally and fairness to British citizens across this country”.
Permanent residence, formally known as indefinite leave to remain (ILR), allows eligible migrants to live, work and study in the UK without a time limit.
Those with the status may also be able to access benefits if they meet the relevant requirements.
Under Mahmood’s proposed reforms, the standard period for most migrants to qualify for permanent residence could increase from
five years to 10 years.
People who entered the UK through health and social care routes could face a 15-year wait under the proposals, while migrants who had claimed benefits for more than 12 months could potentially face a 20-year wait.
The proposals have faced criticism from some Labour politicians and trade unions, particularly over their potential impact on overseas care workers.
Earlier this year, Rayner, who was then a backbench Labour MP, accused the government of “moving the goalposts” and described Mahmood’s plans as “un-British”. She maintained her criticism after returning to the Cabinet.
Andrea Egan, general secretary of Unison, has also argued that the proposed changes would unfairly penalise overseas care workers.
However, the Home Office has stressed that no final decision has been made on changes to the immigration rules.
Mahmood said her approach would be based on balancing the interests of migrants who entered the UK legally with those of British citizens.
The home secretary told delegates: “As we restore control and fairness to our asylum system, we must do the same for legal migration too.
“Fair to those who seek a new and better life here, like my parents did, and fair to those already here, including British workers, and especially the young.
“That same principle underpins my reforms to the right to live here indefinitely, ensuring settled status is earned by those who have shown a consistent commitment to this country.”
Mahmood said the government would develop a policy that was fair to those who “came here legally” while also considering the
interests of British citizens.
The Conservative Party criticised the apparent rethink.
A Conservative spokesperson said: “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.
“This is a slap in the face to British taxpayers who will have to subsidise low-skilled, low wage migrants.”
Speaking earlier, Prime Minister Andy Burnham rejected the suggestion that Mahmood had been forced to abandon the plans because Rayner had described them as “un-British”.
Burnham said the reforms would need to “strike the right balance”.
Asked by LBC whether he was “Team Shabana” or “Team Angela,” he said: “I’m both of them, I’m Team Angela and Shabana.
“But it just reflects that there’s a consultation, there’s different not just opinions from politicians, but obviously there’s a range of views that have gone into that consultation, so we’re in the process now of looking at that.”
The latest development therefore does not mean the proposed 10-, 15- or 20-year settlement periods have been scrapped.
Instead, the government is reviewing the proposals and could modify some of the measures before final immigration rules are announced.
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