Mahmood’s ‘hardline’ immigration reforms hit by growing rebellion

Shabana Mahmood is facing a growing rebellion from Labour MPs against her controversial immigration reforms as Parliament returns after the summer break. A further 10 Labour MPs are expected to publicly oppose her controversial plan to make it harder for many immigrants to settle in the UK. They will add their names to a parliamentary motion tabled by a leading rebel calling for the proposed changes to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) to be softened. Shorts Opposition to the reforms on the Labour benches could become a key test for Andy Burnham who has enjoyed a summer honeymoon during recess. But with MPs now back and the real business of governing starting in earnest, how he handles any showdown will be an early litmus test of his premiership. The motion from Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan, who described the plans as “un-British”, now has the backing of 64 MPs, including 37 Labour supporters, with the updated list due to be published by Parliament over the next 24-36 hours. Public rebels a fraction of those concerned about legislation The Labour figures who have signed the motion are believed to represent only a fraction of the 100 or so MPs who have privately expressed concerns to ministers. Mahmood and Burnham are currently considering offering a concession to rebels after her plans to double the default time immigrants must live in the UK before qualifying for ILR from five to 10 years triggered a major backlash. The Home Secretary also wants immigrants who are already in the UK to come under the new rules, with this retrospective application in particular fuelling concerns among Labour MPs. The i Paper reported exclusive BMG polling on Sunday that a substantial proportion of voters back the rebels, with 45 percent saying those already in the UK to be exempt from the new rules, against 33 per cent who thought the changes should apply. The same proportion believe lower-skilled health and care workers should be exempt. Duncan-Jordan and his backers are calling for all skilled worker visa holders, including those in social care, to remain on the default five-year pathway to settlement, saying they “pay taxes, contribute to their communities, and have no recourse to public funds”. The motion adds that these workers “came to the UK in good faith on the clear understanding that five years of work and residence would provide a pathway” to ILR “and many built lives in the UK on this basis”. Finally, it warns that Mahmood’s changes would “undermine confidence in the immigration system, damage the UK’s international reputation, and risk exacerbating skills shortages”. Duncan-Jordan said: “This issue may well be one of the first real tests for the new PM. There have been encouraging signs that Burnham recognises this has been handled badly. “The first step must be protecting the rights of all existing skilled worker visa holders. “Whether you work in a care home, on our railways or in the medical professions, people built their lives on the basis of a clear deal: come here, contribute, and you can stay. To change the rules half way through someone’s stay is simply un-British. “If we don’t change course, the risk of creating a Windrush-style scandal on a massive scale is obvious. “Our public services will suffer, those who rely on those services will suffer and those who have been providing those services will suffer. “There is no way out of this – the current plans have got to be scrapped.” It comes after The i Paper published an analysis by the Unison union suggesting British workers are not filling job vacancies in social care left by fewer migrant staff. Unison general secretary Andrea Egan warned the union would highlight the issue at Burnham’s first Labour Party conference as leader in late September unless Mahmood offered concessions. She said: “The willingness of so many MPs to oppose the cruel proposals is encouraging. They know a rethink on these plans is essential.” The Home Office has been contacted for comment.