Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh has repeatedly refused to back Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's immigration reforms, specifically the proposal to extend the time before foreign workers can claim permanent residence in the UK to 15 years.
In a Sky News interview, Ms Fahnbulleh said reform of the immigration system was needed and should be “based on the principle of compassion” and recognising contribution, but she declined to express support for the specific plan.
Cabinet split over immigration reforms
The refusal highlights a major Cabinet split over the policy. There is speculation that Andy Burnham could be forced to water down proposals to increase the five-year wait for claiming indefinite leave to remain by up to 10 years for foreign care workers to avoid a Labour rebellion.
Tensions erupted earlier this year when Housing Secretary Angela Rayner publicly attacked the prospect of backdating the plans. This week, news emerged that Ms Fahnbulleh had hit out at any attempt to “prolong the time people have to wait for settlement” in a later-deleted online post.
Minister evades direct questions
Challenged over her stance, Ms Fahnbulleh declined to say she was behind the plan to increase to 15 years the time foreign workers would have to live in Britain before they could be granted settled status.
Asked repeatedly about that specific part of the policy, she told Sky News: “We have got to reform our immigration system, and my view is that we need a system that is based on the principle of compassion, contribution.
“And so there is a package of reforms. The Home Secretary has been consulting on this. She’s looking at the range of responses, and she will come out with the measures that we take forward.
“No one can look at our immigration system – and I say this as someone that came to this country as a refugee – and not believe that it’s broken and not believe that we need to fundamentally reform it.
“But our principles has to be a system where we’ve got control, but ultimately a system that when people do come to this country, they are able to integrate, they are able to contribute, and that we both respect but also value that contribution.”
She also said: “I support reforms that say that people have to contribute and make a contribution to this country in order to get citizenship”, and “I 100% back Shabana Mahmood and everything she is trying to do,” but evaded multiple questions on the prospect of a 15-year wait.
Government response
When it was put to her that she did not back that specific proposal, Ms Fahnbulleh said: “Don’t … put words in my mouth.”
A government source pointed out that “the minister clearly supported the policy and process” in her interviews, “but while subject to review of the consultation, the final policy is not set – so ministers cannot offer opinions on specific parts of it”.
Ms Rayner on Tuesday sought to downplay reports of a Cabinet rift, saying she was sure her colleague would “land” on a policy that was fair to both taxpayers and migrants following a consultation.
A government spokesperson said: “This Government has announced reforms that mean settlement must be earned and not automatic. We are currently considering responses to our consultation on elements of these reforms.”
