I have signed a joint letter opposing proposed changes to settlement rights, organised by my Labour Party colleague Neil Duncan-Jordan MP. The letter is signed by Unison General Secretary Andrea Egan, over 50 MPs, 21 Peers, and 33 civil society organisations.
Sent to the Home Office, the cross-party letter warns that plans to double the settlement period for most migrants to 10 years, and 15 years for care workers, will “undermine the Government’s priorities for economic growth, reducing child poverty and strong public services.”
Appealing to Ministers’ sense of “British values,” the letter notes: “The British public believe in fair play: that if you work hard, follow the rules and contribute, Government should tread lightly on your life.” It calls on the Government to “uphold its promises – we cannot simply change the rules halfway through an agreed process.”
We have made two recommendations to the Home Office:
- Halt the consultation process until a full Impact Assessment is published
- Rule out retrospective application
