Andy Burnham is backing Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s controversial immigration changes, allies have said, in a blow to Labour figures hoping to soften the policies. The Greater Manchester mayor is understood to support efforts to limit legal and illegal migration, despite criticism from some senior Labour MPs who have described the measures as un-British and mimicking Donald Trump.
Burnham faces a tough fight in the Makerfield byelection against Reform UK, which has dubbed him “open-borders Andy”. However, sources close to his campaign say he will not dilute the government’s curbs, which include ending the right to permanent refugee status. “For Andy, migration is a moral issue… showing people who’ve lost faith in politics that we do have control,” one source said.
Labour MPs who have canvassed in the constituency say it will be a very difficult fight, with immigration the second most important issue for voters. The Conservatives have also announced they will stand a candidate, Michael Winstanley, despite calls from some Tories to give Reform a free run to defeat Burnham.
Mahmood’s reforms, announced earlier this year, include scrapping permanent refugee status, removing support from asylum seekers deemed not to need it, and doubling the time to achieve settled status from five to ten years. She warned Labour MPs to back the changes or risk a government led by Nigel Farage deporting refugees “to certain death”.
Despite the backlash from some Labour figures, including former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, Burnham’s allies are comfortable with his stance. His campaign in Makerfield will be run by prominent soft-left MPs Anneliese Midgley and Louise Haigh.
