A public row has broken out at the heart of Government after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood reportedly asked Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to dismiss one of her own junior ministers over an unauthorised intervention on immigration policy.
Migration minister Mike Tapp published an opinion article arguing that overseas care workers should be exempt from proposed changes that would increase the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) from five years to ten years for many migrants.
The dispute centres on the Government’s wider immigration reforms, including proposals that could apply retrospectively to some migrants already living in the UK who had expected to qualify for settlement under the existing five-year rules. The proposals have prompted significant debate within Labour, with a number of MPs raising concerns about the retrospective element of the policy.
According to Government sources, Mahmood believes Tapp breached the Ministerial Code by publicly setting out ideas that had been discussed privately within Government before any collective decision had been reached. Under the Ministerial Code, ministers are expected to uphold the principle of collective responsibility by debating policy privately while presenting an agreed public position once decisions have been made.
Reports indicate that Mahmood has asked Sir Keir to remove Tapp from his ministerial post. However, Downing Street has so far declined to do so, with the minister remaining in office while the Prime Minister considers the matter.
In his newspaper article, Tapp argued that care workers who had come to Britain legally and contributed to the country’s health and social care system should not face a longer wait before becoming eligible for permanent settlement. He said he had been working with officials on what he described as “a better approach” than a blanket extension for all migrants on the route.
On Friday morning, Tapp responded publicly on social media, rejecting suggestions that he had acted improperly.
He wrote: “Ok, morning all.
It’s gone from ‘he broke the ministerial code’ to ‘he stole my idea’.
I have put my views across on a policy I’ve been working on for months (I have the receipts) in an Op Ed in the Times. Give it a read, and let’s continue to discuss.
I won’t be intimidated to drop my views. Stay classy!
Oh and I’m at a wedding in San Francisco, but happy to talk more when I’m back (I promise that’s the Golden Gate Bridge hidden by the fog).”
The exchange has highlighted wider tensions within Labour over immigration policy and comes during a period of uncertainty over the party’s future leadership.
Conservative MP Nick Timothy said the dispute reflected a wider loss of discipline within Government.
He posted on social media: “This is becoming a crisis of authority for Burnham before he’s even started.
Shabana Mahmood wants her immigration minister sacked.
He’s now openly attacking her.
Miliband is campaigning to be chancellor – even winning a public union endorsement.
Phillipson is focused on her career, not her job.
Anonymous backbenchers are briefing that they’ll be cabinet ministers.
This is all happening because ministers don’t know what jobs they’ll have when Burnham takes over – if they’ll have one at all.
This is a total breakdown of authority and discipline in the Labour Party – from which it will be difficult to recover.
And only Burnham can stop it. He could announce his chancellor right now for example. But does he know what he wants?”
Justice minister Jake Richards said it would ultimately be for the Prime Minister to decide whether any breach of the Ministerial Code had occurred. Speaking to Times Radio, he said it had not been “wise” for a junior minister to “freestyle” on a policy that remained under consultation, while stressing that decisions on ministerial discipline rested with Sir Keir Starmer.
The Government has been consulting on changes to settlement rules as part of a broader package of immigration reforms, with ministers continuing to consider responses before final decisions are made.
