Shabana Mahmood caves to Labour rebels and lets almost 300,000 foreign care workers settle after five years instead of 15
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain relies on overseas workers to fill labour shortages in sectors such as social care, but declined to say whether 171,000 legal arrivals a year was too many.OBR and ONS data on net migration forecasts showed projected arrivals revised between March and October 2026, as Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood was expected to water down tougher leave-to-remain rules.Former SNP first minister Nicola Sturgeon also criticised Chancellor John Healey's Budget interview as "weirdly hesitant", saying he appeared to "speak without saying anything.Opinium polling data, conducted largely after John Healey's Budget, showing Labour eight points ahead of Reform — with Labour MPs already putting staff on standby ahead of a possible May election.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused Mahmood of a £10billion capitulation, with the original five-to-15-year wait for 'Boriswave' care workers slashed back to five years after a furious Labour backbench revolt involving up to 100 MPs. Mahmood denied caving, calling the revised package "transformative" and insisting care workers deserved recognition for their service during the pandemic.
Angela Rayner had publicly branded Mahmood's original proposals "un-British," while Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh refused seven times on Sky News to back them.
Of 1.9 million migrants due to qualify for settlement by 2030, only around 500,000 — a quarter — will now wait longer than five years.
Nigel Farage called the U-turn 'the beginning of the capitulation' and warned the lifetime cost to taxpayers could reach £50billion.
