Labour faces internal conflict as Unison union, led by general secretary Andrea Egan, pickets the party's conference in Liverpool to protest Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's immigration restrictions. The union argues that Mahmood's hardline policies—which Egan claims have "fuelled the far-right"—unfairly target migrant workers in essential public services and are counterproductive. The protest highlights growing party divisions over immigration, with other senior figures, including Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, having previously criticised the approach as "un-British."

The central dispute concerns Mahmood's decision to extend the settlement waiting period for lower-paid public service workers from five to fifteen years, which Unison says treats care workers as "second-class citizens." Mahmood defends her position as necessary for fairness and border control, and will announce a refugee resettlement scheme during her conference speech. However, the clampdown has created significant financial complications for the Treasury, with immigration forecasts potentially reducing fiscal headroom by up to £7 billion through reduced tax revenues, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.