Energy secretary clarifies she backs Mahmood migration policy after 'lie' joke
Miatta Fahnbulleh says she fully supports the home secretary's migration reforms after a self-deprecating remark about not being able to lie caused awkwardness.
At a glance
- Miatta Fahnbulleh clarified she backs Shabana Mahmood’s migration policy after joking she could not “lie” to support it.
- Mahmood is consulting on raising the wait for indefinite leave to remain from five to 15 years, backdated to arrivals from 2021.
- Fahnbulleh and Angela Rayner are among Labour figures uneasy about the plan, while dozens of Labour MPs oppose it.
UK energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh has clarified that she backs home secretary Shabana Mahmood’s migration policy after joking at a Westminster journalists’ event that she had not been able to “lie” about supporting a key element of the changes.
Fahnbulleh’s original remarks referred to an “awkward” Sky News interview in which she repeatedly declined to say she favoured plans to make foreign workers wait 15 years for permanent residency. She told the event: “I made three promises to myself when I came into politics. The first was never lie, which has created some awkward moments, including being interviewed by Sophy Ridge yesterday.”
The implication that she could not bring herself to lie about supporting the changes appears to have gone down badly among government colleagues. No 10 refused to be drawn on whether it had asked her to issue a clarification.
On Thursday evening, Fahnbulleh posted a statement on social media saying: “Today I made what was meant to be a lighthearted, self-deprecating remark. I didn’t get it right and it hasn’t come off as I intended.” She added: “I fully support our home secretary and the government’s position on migration reform. As I said earlier this week, it’s absolutely right that people should have to make a contribution to this country in order to earn citizenship.”
Cabinet split over ILR changes
Mahmood is consulting on plans to increase the period before foreign workers can claim indefinite leave to remain (ILR) from five to 15 years. The change would be backdated to apply to anyone arriving from 2021 onwards. She has previously hinted the plan could be watered down by exempting care workers, but reports on Tuesday said she was holding firm. A senior ally told the Times she had the prime minister’s support, saying: “Andy has been on Shabana’s side throughout this row over ILR. He is holding the line.”
Fahnbulleh and housing secretary Angela Rayner are among those not keen on elements of the original plan. This week it was reported that Fahnbulleh appeared to criticise the plans on her Peckham constituency website in a post about a community discussion that was later removed. She was quoted as saying: “If we continually prolong the time people have to wait for settlement, we can also prolong the process of building cohesion.” Earlier this year, Rayner publicly criticised the plans, while dozens of Labour MPs oppose the changes.
Opposition and consultation
One leading opponent, Mike Tapp, a former immigration minister who clashed with Mahmood over the policy, said the home secretary should “read the room” on the strength of feeling. “It’s important we do the right thing. If people have come to the country and genuinely worked in the sector, they shouldn’t be punished and should have the right to apply for settlement after five years as they expected,” he said.
MPs campaigning for changes believe they have a chance of convincing Andy Burnham to exempt care workers, given that reforming adult social care is an issue close to his heart. The Home Office has said that would lead to an exodus of foreign workers from the sector when they are no longer bound by the terms of their visa.
No 10 stressed on Wednesday that Mahmood was “carefully considering” more than 200,000 responses to a consultation before finalising the planned changes. Asked whether tweaks – including no longer applying the policy retrospectively – could be ruled out, Burnham’s press secretary said: “We set out proposals for consultation. We’ve consulted on what the transition arrangement should look like for people already in the UK who have not received settled status. The home secretary is leading a thorough piece of work to ensure we get this right and have the right arrangements in place.”
Earlier this week, a Home Office spokesperson said: “This government has announced reforms that mean settlement must be earned and not automatic. We are currently considering responses to our consultation on elements of these reforms.”
Source: The Guardian World.
Questions and answers
- What did Miatta Fahnbulleh say about the migration policy?
- She joked that she had not been able to “lie” about supporting a key element, then clarified she fully supports the home secretary and the government’s position on migration reform.
- What is Shabana Mahmood’s plan for indefinite leave to remain?
- She is consulting on increasing the period before foreign workers can claim indefinite leave to remain from five to 15 years, backdated to apply to anyone arriving from 2021 onwards.
- Who opposes the migration changes?
- Energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh and housing secretary Angela Rayner are among those not keen on elements of the plan, and dozens of Labour MPs oppose the changes. Mike Tapp has urged Mahmood to “read the room.”
