Angela Rayner has delivered a sharp rebuke of home secretary Shabana Mahmood’s proposed immigration crackdown, describing the approach as “un-British” and warning it risks eroding trust among migrants already settled in the UK.
The former deputy prime minister accused the government of “moving the goalposts” by signalling that individuals granted indefinite leave to remain could still face deportation under new measures. Her remarks mark one of her strongest interventions since leaving office.
Speaking at a Mainstream campaign group event on Tuesday evening, Rayner also issued a broader warning to her party, saying Labour is “running out of time” to deliver the change voters demanded at the last general election.
Immigration Policy Backlash Sparks ‘Breach Of Trust’ Warning
Addressing Mahmood’s immigration reforms, Rayner said: “Many people came here to Britain on the understanding that if they worked in the sectors where we needed them, obeyed the law and paid their taxes, they could stay.
“If we suddenly change that, it pulls the rug from under those who have planned their lives and commitments and are contributing to our economy and to our society.
“That would be not just bad policy but a breach of trust. The people already in the system – who made a huge investment – now fear for their future, they do not have stability and do not know what will happen.
“We cannot talk about earning a settlement if we keep moving the goalposts, because moving the goalposts undermines our sense of fair play. It’s un-British.”
Labour Under Pressure As Angela Rayner Warns ‘Time Is Running Out’
Rayner, who resigned from the cabinet last year following revelations she had underpaid around £40,000 in stamp duty on a second property, remains under investigation by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
Amid ongoing speculation about her political future, including talk of a potential leadership bid, she used her speech to urge Labour to act decisively.
“As a party, and as a movement, we cannot hide, we cannot just go through the motions in the face of decline.
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“There’s no safe ground and we’re running out of time.
“The change that people wanted so desperately needs to be seen, it needs to be felt, and we have to show that it is a Labour government that will deliver it.”
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