It is among the changes being proposed by the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood today as she addresses the Labour party conference in her first major speech in the role
Migrants who want to remain in Britain face tougher rules including learning English to a high standard, Shabana Mahmood has announced.
It is among the changes being proposed by the Home Secretary today as she addresses the Labour party conference in her first major speech in the role.
She will set out plans to shake-up rules for indefinite leave to remain, which allows migrants to live and work in the UK freely and is the main route to citizenship.
Proposals include making indefinite leave to remain dependent on having a clean criminal record, volunteering in their community, and paying National Insurance. A consultation on the changes will be launched later this year.
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Labour said there is a “dividing line” between the Government’s proposals and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s pledge to axe settled status for all non-EU migrants – a policy labelled as racist and immoral by Keir Starmer.
In her speech, Ms Mahmood is also expected to express her fears that “patriotism, a force for good, is turning into something smaller, something more like ethno-nationalism”.
She will argue her toughness on secure borders, fair migration and safe streets are essential components of an “open, generous, tolerant” country. She will also warn party members that “you won’t always like what I do”.
Ms Mahmood will speak about her parents’ experience of arriving in the UK, arguing the acceptance of migrants depends on their contribution to local communities.
Proposed changes could see “indefinite leave to remain” dependent on paying National Insurance, claiming no benefits, having a clean criminal record, and volunteering in their community. The Government will consult on these changes this year.
Enver Solomon, the chief executive of the Refugee Council, told The Guardian: “We know that refugees want to feel part of, and give back to, the country that has provided them with safety.
“It is much harder for a refugee to find their feet straight away without relying on benefits at all – especially if they have been given less than 30 days to find somewhere to live. Almost all people seeking asylum are not allowed to work and are forced to rely on state support.
“By punishing refugees for needing help, we are saying to them that no matter how hard you work in the future, you’ll never have a safe permanent home in Britain. This is the opposite of encouraging integration.”
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