Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has scaled back her toughest immigration proposals following cabinet opposition, according to The Guardian. The retreat followed pressure from senior ministers and health unions, prompting a reconsideration of plans that would have significantly lengthened settlement waiting times. The Guardian reported that Mahmood announced an exception for care workers on Monday, enabling an estimated 280,000 individuals and their dependants to seek indefinite leave to remain after five years in the UK. This provision shields a vital workforce from the most stringent restrictions initially proposed. However, the home secretary told MPs that many other migrants would still be subject to retrospective rule changes, requiring a ten‑year wait for settlement rights. The compromise maintains a strict approach for most visa categories while yielding on social‑care staffing. Health sector representatives had warned that a 15‑year settlement timeline for care workers would worsen recruitment difficulties in an already strained system. The cabinet opposition reflected broader concerns about the policy’s impact on public services and the government’s political standing.
Source: The Guardian.
