Britain's largest trade union, Unison, will protest outside Labour's annual conference in Liverpool next week against the Government's proposed immigration curbs. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced plans to increase the waiting period for indefinite leave to remain from five to at least ten years, a policy designed to reduce net migration but opposed by Labour's Left-wing MPs and unions who argue it breaks promises to migrant workers and will worsen labour shortages in key sectors.

Unison represents 1.3 million members, including NHS staff, care workers and lower-paid public service employees who would be directly affected by the changes. The strike action is part of the union's 'Fair Visa Campaign', and workers will accuse Labour ministers of reneging on recruitment commitments. Simultaneously, around 200 rail workers at TransPennine Express will strike during the conference over a separate dispute concerning pay and conditions for outsourced catering and cleaning staff; the railway was nationalised in 2023 but workers remain employed by private contractors, contrary to Labour's pledge for mass public sector insourcing.