Rayner rejects claims of a Cabinet rift over immigration plans
Angela Rayner said claims of a Cabinet split over immigration risk portraying women ministers as quarrelling, saying “people love saying us girls are all falling out”. She denied there was a rift and backed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s efforts to tackle immigration, while stressing that the settlement rules should be fair to taxpayers and migrants who contribute.
The comments followed Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh’s criticism of proposals to lengthen the wait for indefinite leave to remain; her online article was later deleted and was being updated. The plans would double the standard qualifying period from five to ten years, with longer waits for some low-skilled workers and people claiming benefits. Home Office estimates put the number due to qualify for settlement between this year and 2030 at 1.6 million, potentially rising to 2.2 million.
- Rayner denied a Cabinet rift over immigration settlement plans.
- She said she supports Mahmood’s effort to tackle immigration.
- Proposed rules would double the standard wait for settlement to ten years.
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Indefinite leave to remain is permission to live in the UK permanently, usually after a period of lawful residence. It is different from citizenship, but gives people a settled status without needing to extend a visa.
The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, is responsible for immigration policy, while other Cabinet ministers lead departments such as energy. The proposals would make many people wait longer before qualifying for permanent residence, with the wait varying by circumstances.
The debate concerns how the UK sets expectations for people who move here, including how long they should wait and what counts as a fair contribution. The number of people who may qualify under current rules in the coming years is also relevant to the scale of any changes.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “‘They love saying us girls are all falling out’: Angela Rayner suggests sexism is behind claims of Cabinet rift over immigration plans”.