Now Energy Secretary attacks her own Government’s plan to make migrants wait longer to win permanent status in Britain

Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh has criticised Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s plan to make migrants wait longer for permanent settlement, adding to divisions within the Government. Fahnbulleh argued that longer waits could hinder integration and called for immigration debate to combine control with compassion.

Mahmood’s proposal would double the standard qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain from five years to ten, with longer waits for some low-skilled workers and people claiming benefits. Home Office estimates suggest 1.6 million migrants may qualify for settlement between 2026 and 2030, potentially rising to 2.2 million; more than 200,000 have reportedly been granted settlement while the proposals remain unimplemented. Mahmood has warned that unchanged rules could cost public finances £10 billion, while Angela Rayner and trade union leader Andrea Egan have also criticised the plans.