Angela Rayner criticises Shabana Mahmood’s migrant visa reforms amid Labour unrest

Angela Rayner publicly rebuked Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s immigration overhaul, calling the tougher visa rules “un-British” and “unfair”. The plan would extend the standard qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain from five to ten years for most migrants, affecting many foreign care workers who have come to the UK to look after vulnerable people. Rayner argued that changing the rules after workers have relocated is disruptive.

Mahmood responded in the Home Affairs Select Committee, saying the government is reviewing consultation feedback and will announce a decision shortly. The clash has inflamed tensions within Labour, with more than a hundred backbench MPs reportedly uneasy about the policy. The issue is set to feature prominently at the party’s Autumn Conference in Liverpool.