Tories tell Mahmood: Quit if you can’t get migration reforms through

Shabana Mahmood must resign if she cannot get reforms to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) through parliament, the Tories have said. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary , has written to his Labour counterpart promising his party will back her plans if she does not water them down in the face of Cabinet and backbench opposition . Ms Mahmood is facing backlash from ministers Angela Rayner and Miatta Fahnbulleh to soften reforms that would require migrant care workers to wait up to an extra 10 years for ILR, even if they are already in the UK.

The Telegraph revealed last week that, under proposals being considered by Ms Mahmood to quell Cabinet tensions, foreign care workers could get a fast-track route to settlement. However, in his letter, Mr Philp warned Ms Mahmood that her position would become untenable because of her previous claims that it would cost taxpayers £10bn if foreign care workers were exempted from the proposals to wait longer for ILR. Ms Mahmood’s ILR plans, first set out a year ago, included proposals that would allow migrants who had been “employed in a specified public service occupation for five years” to knock five years off the time they would have to wait before being allowed to claim ILR.

It is understood that the Home Office is considering options which include ways in which migrants’ “professional history” and “allegiance to a particular sector” could reduce the time that they have to wait before being granted settlement. Ms Rayner signalled her support for the compromise, under which migrant workers’ contributions would be “recognised” in determining their eligibility for ILR. She told Sky News: “I’ve every confidence that Shabana will come up with a fair system that is fair to the taxpayers of today, that … recognise the contribution that people make who come to this country, who work in our public services.

And she’ll be able to take us forward with our British values that are fair to all.” Mr Philp, however, urged her to stick by her original plans, citing Home Office research that showed that granting ILR to 117,000 low-paid care workers and their 79,000 dependents, mostly from Africa and Asia, who came during the so-called Boriswave of immigration will cost the UK some £9.5bn. In his letter, he said: “You know you can comfortably pass your original plans with our votes in parliament.

“But if you back down to Left-wing pressure, which will cost £10bn and would be an ‘affront’ to the British public by your own admission, then I think your position as Home Secretary will become untenable. I hope you instead accept our support to do the right thing.” Mr Philp said: “The Labour Left, led by Angela Rayner, are now calling the shots. It’s hard to see how she could continue in office with any credibility if her policy gets reversed.

Her position would be completely untenable.”