No 10 considers easing immigration changes

Keir Starmer is hoping to soften the impact of changes to the immigration system after a backlash from Labour MPs and a dramatic intervention from former deputy Angela Rayner.

- Kiran Stacey

The prime minister is considering exempting large numbers of people from the proposed changes, which would make it harder to achieve settled status in the UK, as he tries to keep his restive party onboard.

Under the plans, most people would have to wait 10 years to qualify for settled status rather than the existing five-year period. But proposals included in a government consultation could see migrants working in the public sector excluded from the changes, as well as those who are on the brink of being settled.

Ministers are now debating how far they want to extend those exemptions but Downing Street insisted yesterday that they would not cover everyone who had already arrived in the country, as demanded by Rayner and others.

“In the four years before the election, we saw record levels of immigration,” a spokesperson for the prime minister said.

"In the manifesto, we promised to deliver a fair and properly managed immigration system.We are considering responses to the Home Office consultation, and we will respond in line with our principles and values."