Immigration minister Mike Tapp has fired back at Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, telling her to 'stay classy' as he refuses to back down from his call to exempt migrant care workers from controversial migration changes. The extraordinary public stand-off erupted after Ms Mahmood demanded Mr Tapp be sacked for breaching the ministerial code by publishing an article without her knowledge.
Minister Defies Sacking Threat
In his first public response since Ms Mahmood called for his dismissal, Mr Tapp posted on X: 'Ok, morning all. It’s gone from "he broke the ministerial code" to "he stole my idea". I have put my views across on a policy I’ve been working on for months (I have the receipts) in an Op Ed in the times. Give it a read, and let’s continue to discuss. I won’t be intimidated to drop my views. Stay classy!' He accompanied the message with a selfie taken in San Francisco, adding: 'Oh and I’m at a wedding in San Francisco, but happy to talk more when I’m back (I promise that’s the Golden Gate Bridge hidden by the fog).'
Home Office insiders claim Mr Tapp broke the ministerial code by publicly discussing the care worker exemption while it was already under consideration by ministers. They suggested he did so to curry favour with Andy Burnham, who is reportedly considering softening parts of Ms Mahmood's migration plans if he becomes prime minister. However, No10 has so far refused to sack Mr Tapp and is not expected to do so.
Internal Debate Over Migration Reforms
Justice minister and whip Jake Richards admitted it was unwise for Mr Tapp to 'freestyle' in a newspaper article. He told Sky News: 'I don't think it's wise for ministers to sort of freestyle in government. We are a team, we are a collective effort, so I don't think it's wise.' Mr Richards acknowledged there is an internal debate over Ms Mahmood's immigration reforms but insisted it should happen in private. 'There's a debate internally about where that balance is and how we get this right. We launched a consultation late last year, and that debate is continuing. The Home Secretary will be setting out her proposals in the next few weeks. I would prefer that debate to happen in private rather than that... because we're a government, we're a team, and that's right.'
He said it was up to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to decide whether Mr Tapp should be sacked. 'That's a matter for the Prime Minister, and of course he'll be looking into that,' he added.
Care Worker Visa Changes Spark Outcry
Mr Burnham, widely expected to replace Mr Starmer, is weighing up whether to water down several proposals from the migration shake-up. Proposed changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) rules, applied retrospectively, have sparked outrage. If implemented, care workers who came to the UK after the Covid pandemic would see their wait for settlement rise to 15 years—three times the current five-year period. They would also need to seek a new sponsor every time they change jobs, and unions warn this could trigger an exodus in the already embattled care sector.
Over 100 Labour MPs have written to Mr Starmer demanding a rethink. Lydia Kabute, who came to the UK from Kenya in 2023 on a health and social care visa, told The Mirror: 'Why shift the goalposts from five years to 15 years? Did we do something wrong? Covid had ravaged everything, it had messed everything up (in the care sector). We came to help and assist. Remember, you (the UK Government) told us to come and help and you gave us the conditions. But now the goal has been shifted.'
Trade union Unison warns the rule change is morally wrong and could deepen the social care crisis, noting that migrant staff make up nearly 30% of the sector's workforce.
Current Rules and Proposed Changes
Under current rules, a person needs to be in the UK for five years before qualifying for settled status. The government plans to extend this to a standard 10 years, but Ms Mahmood says NHS workers, high earners, and volunteers will be fast-tracked. Conversely, migrants who claim benefits or entered the country illegally will face penalties. Ms Mahmood has insisted her reforms will create a 'compassionate but controlled system.'
In his Times article, Mr Tapp wrote: 'It is my strong belief that those who have come to the United Kingdom on care worker visas who have played by the rules should not be required to wait longer to apply for settlement. That is the issue I am working hard to address.'
