Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh appears to have criticised Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s migration policy in a post on her constituency website. The post, which has since been removed, suggested concerns that a longer settlement process could affect integration.
The critique, which appeared in a write-up of a community meeting in Peckham in September, was later removed by Fahnbulleh, who stated it was not a true representation of her views. The original write-up quoted Fahnbulleh as saying: “If we continually prolong the time people have to wait for settlement, we can also prolong the process of building cohesion.” Her office indicated the remarks had been paraphrased and would be rewritten.
The government has proposed increasing the standard qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain from five years to 10, with potential concessions for some professions. The changes would also extend the pathway to permanent settlement for refugees to up to 20 years, with reviews every 30 months. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has expressed commitment to the bulk of these changes, though the final response to a consultation is yet to be published.
Tensions within the cabinet have previously emerged regarding these proposals. Last month, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner stated that the proposed changes, if unamended, would unfairly penalise care staff.