ANDY Burnham last night backed the Home Secretary’s new asylum crackdown – but tougher migrant settlement rules look set to be softened under his premiership.
The Prime Minister-in-waiting voted for Shabana Mahmood’s new law, which will make it easier to deport illegal migrants and foreign criminals.
Andy Burnham has backed Shabana Mahmood’s asylum crackdown, but is set to soften settlement rules Credit: CHRIS NEILL
Ministers are preparing concessions to plans to double the wait for indefinite leave to remain from five years to ten Credit: Getty Images
It will also curb the use of human rights laws to block removals, speeds up asylum appeals and forces migrants to repay the cost of taxpayer-funded accommodation.
But the incoming Government is already facing claims it is preparing to “capitulate to open border MPs” by softening separate settlement reforms.
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Ministers are preparing concessions to plans to double the wait for indefinite leave to remain from five years to ten.
One proposal would allow up to 1.6 million “Boriswave” migrants already living in Britain to keep the five-year route to settlement.
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Instead, they would have to wait longer before claiming benefits.
The compromise is aimed at heading off a Labour backlash after almost 80 MPs urged Mr Burnham to rethink the tougher settlement rules.
Mr Burnham has previously questioned applying the changes to migrants already living in Britain.
Yesterday, however, his spokesperson made clear he fully backed Ms Mahmood’s asylum crackdown.
He said: “Andy believes the public deserve an asylum system that is both compassionate and credible.
“This Bill takes important steps towards restoring confidence by tackling illegal crossings while strengthening safe and legal routes for genuine refugees. This is about ensuring the system is fair both to those seeking protection and to the communities that welcome them.”
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp challenged Ms Mahmood over whether she and the incoming Prime Minister were preparing to “capitulate to some of their open border MPs” on the settlement reforms.
The Home Secretary insisted the Government’s position remained “exactly as was set out in the consultation”.
Reform’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf blasted: “Labor is about to U-turn on their reforms to indefinite leave to remain and accelerate Britain’s ‘Boriswave’ bankruptcy.
The ‘Boriswave’ of immigration was one of the most a
