Unison boss Andrea Egan has joined dozens of Labour MPs in warning that the government's proposed overhaul of settlement rules could push the social care sector to 'breaking point'. The intervention comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faces mounting pressure from his own backbenchers over immigration policy.
The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has proposed extending the standard wait for indefinite leave to remain to 10 years, with longer periods for those on health and social care visas. Migrants who rely on benefits for more than 12 months could face a 20-year wait. The plans are part of a wider bid to curb legal immigration amid the rising political threat from Reform.
In a letter to Ms Mahmood, 35 Labour MPs and Ms Egan argued that the changes would 'pull the rug from under migrant workers, including in social care who provide dignity and comfort to our loved ones, often in difficult conditions and for low pay'. They called on the government to 'immediately rule out applying new immigration rules to migrant families already in the UK'.
Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan, who organised the letter, said: 'These plans will divide communities and damage services. Ministers must think again.' The Home Secretary has defended the proposals, saying the government must respond to 'unprecedented' levels of legal immigration.
The row highlights the fragility of Sir Keir's position, with critics accusing him of lurching to the Left to save his premiership. The Prime Minister has faced a torrid week, with his chief aide resigning over the Mandelson scandal and Cabinet ministers only rallying round after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar threatened to demand his resignation.
