Andy Burnham is facing his first Labour mutiny before he has even entered 10 Downing Street. Almost 80 Labour MPs have reportedly written to the prime minister-in-waiting calling on him to water down Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's immigration overhaul.
Core of the Dispute
The row centres on plans to make people wait longer before they can apply for indefinite leave to remain, including those already in the UK. The letter, reported by The i Paper, warns Mr Burnham that voters in the Makerfield by-election talked about “irregular migration” but not about “making it harder for care workers and nurses to settle here”.
It also condemned "hostile rhetoric” used by the Home Office on migration and called for more "compassion".
Organised by Labour MP Tony Vaughan
The letter was reportedly organised by Labour MP Tony Vaughan, who has been a fierce critic of the immigration overhaul. It comes as the Immigration and Asylum Bill is due back in the Commons on Monday, with backbenchers threatening to vote against the legislation.
Burnham's Position
Allies of Mr Burnham said last month that he was backing Ms Mahmood's controversial immigration reforms. A source told The Guardian: “For Andy, migration is a moral issue as much as anything, showing people who’ve lost faith in politics that we do have control and we can do good.
“We need to tell a positive story about the contribution of migration to our country, but we cannot do that unless people trust that the people they vote for have control over our borders.”
Key Changes in the Bill
The changes include doubling the length of time it takes for migrants to qualify to live in Britain permanently from five years to 10, with the proposal applying to some already in the country.
