Mahmood to demand migrants earn right to settled status

by | Sep 29, 2025 | Politics

Migrants will have to prove they are contributing to society to earn the right to remain in the UK, the home secretary is set to announce.In her Labour conference speech, Shabana Mahmood will outline a series of new conditions migrants have to meet to qualify for indefinite leave to remain.Under the proposals, legal migrants will have to learn English to a high standard, have a clean criminal record and volunteer in their community to be granted permanent settlement status.Labour says the policy draws a clear dividing line between the government and Reform UK, which says it would abolish indefinite leave to remain.Currently, migrants can apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years, giving them the right to live, study and work in the UK permanently.Labour plans to double the period it takes to gain the status from five years to 10, and a consultation was announced in May as part of a package of plans to cut immigration.Reform said it would replace indefinite leave to remain with visas that force migrants – including non-EU nationals who already have the status – to reapply every five years.Labour says this would force workers who have been contributing to the UK for decades to leave their homes and families.On Sunday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Reform UK’s policy was “racist” and “immoral” in an interview with the BBC.In response, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told the Daily Express that Labour “do not believe in border controls” and said the prime minister’s comments were a “desperate attack”. Zia Yusuf, Reform UK polic …

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[mwai_chat context=”Let’s have a discussion about this article:nnMigrants will have to prove they are contributing to society to earn the right to remain in the UK, the home secretary is set to announce.In her Labour conference speech, Shabana Mahmood will outline a series of new conditions migrants have to meet to qualify for indefinite leave to remain.Under the proposals, legal migrants will have to learn English to a high standard, have a clean criminal record and volunteer in their community to be granted permanent settlement status.Labour says the policy draws a clear dividing line between the government and Reform UK, which says it would abolish indefinite leave to remain.Currently, migrants can apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years, giving them the right to live, study and work in the UK permanently.Labour plans to double the period it takes to gain the status from five years to 10, and a consultation was announced in May as part of a package of plans to cut immigration.Reform said it would replace indefinite leave to remain with visas that force migrants – including non-EU nationals who already have the status – to reapply every five years.Labour says this would force workers who have been contributing to the UK for decades to leave their homes and families.On Sunday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Reform UK’s policy was “racist” and “immoral” in an interview with the BBC.In response, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told the Daily Express that Labour “do not believe in border controls” and said the prime minister’s comments were a “desperate attack”. Zia Yusuf, Reform UK polic …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]