Angela Rayner, former Deputy Prime Minister, has strongly criticised the UK government’s new immigration proposals that may double the waiting period for migrant care workers to obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
Speaking ahead of a trade union rally in the UK, Rayner condemned plans to increase residency requirements from five years to as much as twenty years for some workers, describing these changes as “unfair” and “un-British.”
Rayner's Sharp Rebuke
Rayner criticised the government for altering immigration rules for migrants who are already legally living and working in the UK, especially those in essential care roles during the pandemic. She emphasised that these workers are vital to British society and contribute taxes, stating: “Ripping up the rules halfway through is the wrong thing to do.”
Care Sector Crisis
Highlighting the increasing pressures on social care services, Rayner urged the government to prioritise improving conditions in the sector rather than making visa access more difficult. She called for higher pay and reform of the visa system to remove restrictions tying workers to single employers, aiming to prevent exploitation of migrant care workers.
Government Defends Policy
The Home Office, overseen by Shabana Mahmood, maintains that raising the ILR residency threshold is necessary to reduce historically high net migration. Officials argue that permanent settlement rights should be earned and not granted automatically.
Labour Party Divisions
Rayner’s position highlights growing unrest within the Labour Party, with backbench MPs and care sector leaders warning that tougher rules risk mass departures and could worsen staffing shortages in the NHS and social care.
Ongoing Immigration Battle
Since stepping down from her Deputy Prime Minister role in September 2025, Rayner has used her platform to challenge government immigration policy, signalling that disputes over visa rules and care sector reforms are likely to intensify.
Originally published by UKNIP.
