Cynthia Ezegwu
Britain’s interior minister, Shabana Mahmood, on Monday unveiled plans to tighten rules for migrants seeking permanent residency, in a move aimed at countering the growing popularity of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.
Under the new proposals, migrants applying for “indefinite leave to remain” will be required to have a job, make social security contributions, maintain a clean criminal record, and engage in community volunteer work. They will also be barred from claiming benefits.
Currently, migrants can qualify for indefinite residency after five years if they have family in the UK, or after 10 years of legal residence on any visa, granting them the right to live, work, and study, as well as access to benefits and citizenship.
The Labour government said consultations on the changes will begin later this year. The announcement comes after Reform pledged to abolish indefinite leave to remain altogether, requiring migrants to reapply for visas every five years — even those already settled.
“These measures draw a clear dividing line between the Labour government and Reform, whose recent announcement… would force workers, who have been contributing to this country for decades, to leave their homes and families,” Labour said in a statement.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Reform’s plan as “racist” and “immoral”, warning it would “tear the country apart”. He urged Labour members at the party’s annual conference in Liverpool to unite for the “fight of our lives” against Farage’s surging party.
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In her first speech as interior minister, Mahmood — a barrister born in Britain to Pakistani parents — stressed the importance of migrants learning English to a high standard. She warned Labour members that failing to address migration could push voters towards Reform’s “false promises”.
Meanwhile, more than 100 organisations urged Mahmood to end what they described as “scapegoating of migrants and performative policies that only cause harm”.
The announcement comes amid continued struggles to curb illegal Channel crossings. British authorities reported that 895 people arrived in small boats on Saturday alone, with at least 27 deaths recorded this year during attempts to reach the UK.