A LABOUR civil war over immigration is set to erupt in the wake of the local elections as left-wing MPs call for a softer approach.
PM Sir Keir Starmer’s party is bracing itself for a nationwide drubbing — as it is expected to lose more than a 1,000 councillors.
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Left-wing MPs are set to demand the PM waters down Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s migration curbs Credit: Dan Kitwood/PA Wire
Sir Keir Starmer’s party is bracing itself for a nationwide drubbing Credit: AFP
Reform is forecast to win most seats, with the Greens and Lib Dems also expected to make inroads at Labour’s expense.
Some left-wing MPs are planning to seize on Green gains to demand the weakened PM waters down Shabana Mahmood’s migration curbs.
The Home Secretary’s push to double the time that migrants must live in the UK before getting permanent residency rights to ten years has been attacked by colleagues.
She is understood to have been furious with a recent outburst from former Deputy PM Angela Rayner, who described it as “un-British”.
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Allies of Ms Mahmood say she will defend tougher curbs — although she could accept a “transitional” arrangement for foreigners already here.
One said: “The idea you dump migration curbs to placate the Greens is just plain wrong.”
Some left-wingers have sought to blame Ms Mahmood’s reforms on Labour losing votes to Zack Polanski’s “open borders” Green Party.
One MP said she was unpopular “outside a small Blue Labour circle”.
They added: “If I were Keir, I’d be seriously questioning whether she can stay in the job.”
But polling suggests migration was one of the main issues of the local elections.
Almost two thirds of voters in areas holding elections in England think the Government has been too soft on illegal immigration, research by More in Common found.
Sir Keir is expected to further appease left-wing rebels by promising closer ties with the European Union.
Downing Street has said he will fight any challenge to his leadership.
