Andy Burnham Urges Government to Rethink Plans That Could Force Asylum Seekers to Wait Up to 20 Years for Permanent Settlement
Key Takeaways:
- Long waits risk creating permanent limbo — Andy Burnham warned that making asylum seekers wait up to 20 years for settlement would leave people unable to integrate and force the Home Office to repeatedly reassess their status.
- Reform needs balance and consensus — While supportive of Shabana Mahmood’s push for root-and-branch change, Burnham urged the government to slow down and build cross-party and public agreement on such far-reaching rules.
- Internal Labour tensions are emerging — Burnham’s intervention, though measured, highlights growing unease within Labour about the scale and pace of proposed migration reforms ahead of Mahmood’s Commons statement.
The Labour government is bracing for fresh internal pressure after Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham publicly urged ministers to reconsider a controversial proposal that could make asylum seekers wait as long as two decades before being granted permanent settlement rights in the UK.
His intervention comes just hours before Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is due to unveil sweeping changes to the UK’s legal migration rules in the House of Commons—reforms that follow her dramatic asylum overhaul announced on Monday.
While Downing Street has attempted to maintain discipline within Labour ranks, Burnham’s comments highlight growing discomfort even among senior figures who are otherwise supportive of Mahmood’s efforts to reshape Britain’s immigration system.
A Radical Shift in Settlement Rules
According to reports in The Times, Mahmood is expected to tell MPs that migrants will “usually be allowed to apply for indefinite leave to remain only after ten years — double the current five,” and that applicants will need to meet tougher requirements, including:
- English language skills at A-level standard
- a clean criminal record
- no access to benefits
- ongoing assessments of the safety of returning to their country of origin
The Home Office has not confirmed the details ahead of the minister’s statement, remaining unusually tight-lipped following strong criticism from Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle on Monday for excessive media pre-briefing before the asylum announcement.
However, Labour MPs and regional figures are already digesting what these changes could mean for thousands of asylum seekers and refugees living in the UK—especially those whose right to remain may be reviewed repeatedly for up to 20 years.
Burnham: Supportive of Reform, Concerned About “Limbo”
Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Andy Burnham carefully positioned himself as both loyal to the Labour leadership and concerned about the long-term humanitarian and administrative consequences of the proposals.
“I agree that Shabana Mahmood is right to grasp this nettle and have root and branch reform of the system. I agree with that,”
— Andy Burnham
He welcomed Mahmood’s desire to overhaul how asylum seekers are housed, including moves to end the use of hotels for long-term accommodation—an issue that has burdened local councils financially and operationally.
But Burnham expressed unease about the idea of leaving people in a state of prolonged uncertainty.
“I do have a concern about leaving people without the ability to settle … That might limit the Home Office’s ability to deal with the backlog. And it may leave people in a sense of limbo and unable to integrate,”
— Burnham
His comments refer directly to one of Mahmood’s most contentious proposals: regular reassessments of whether it is safe for asylum seekers to return to their home countries, potentially stretching over two decades before permanent settlement is granted.
This would mean refugees could see their right to remain repeatedly questioned for years, even if they have built lives, jobs, and families in the UK.
A Call for Consensus Inside an Already Tense Party
Burnham stopped short of outright opposition, instead emphasising the need for careful consultation and unity:
“I’m not going to say that the home secretary is wrong to call for this level of change. What I would say is it’s really important … that there is a considered debate, time is taken, and consensus can be built.”
But despite his diplomatic tone, the message is clear:
The government risks pushing ahead too quickly with reforms that could have long-term consequences for integration, fairness and administrative capacity.
Burnham’s intervention is significant because:
- He is one of Labour’s most popular elected politicians nationwide.
- He is frequently named as a potential successor to Keir Starmer.
- He rarely comments negatively on national policy unless he feels strongly about its direction.
For Mahmood, who is only days into her role as home secretary, this is an unwelcome sign that internal resistance could grow.
Why the Plan Has Sparked Outrage Among Some Labour MPs
Mahmood’s asylum reforms already generated strong reactions earlier this week. While many welcomed her determination to reduce the asylum backlog and dismantle unworkable policies inherited from the Conservatives, some Labour MPs felt the party was moving too far to the right.
Initial lists of MPs opposing aspects of Monday’s changes never exceeded around 20, but the debate has underscored the delicate political balance Mahmood must navigate.
The proposed settlement review system—where a refugee’s right to remain could be reassessed repeatedly over 10–20 years—has alarmed critics who argue it is:
- legally complex
- emotionally destabilising
- administratively overwhelming
- counterproductive to integration
Burnham echoed these concerns, warning that if the Home Office must constantly reassess conditions in multiple countries, its already overstretched capacity could deteriorate further.
The UK currently faces one of the largest asylum backlogs in Europe, with tens of thousands awaiting decisions.
A Wider Policy Context: Legal Migration Rules Are Changing Too
In addition to asylum reforms, Mahmood is expected to introduce significant changes to the legal migration system. These may include:
- raising salary or qualification thresholds
- further restricting access to benefits and public services
- tightening citizenship requirements
The doubling of the time before migrants can apply for permanent residency signals a dramatic recalibration of the UK’s approach to long-term integration.
Currently, most migrants on work, family, or humanitarian pathways can settle after five years. Extending this to ten years — with enhanced language and crime-free requirements — represents one of the most substantial shifts in Labour’s immigration policy in decades.
Political Stakes for Labour
Keir Starmer’s administration is attempting to balance multiple pressures:
- Reassure voters that Labour will control migration after years of Conservative promises and policy failures.
- Avoid alienating progressive MPs who feel Labour is conceding too much ground to right-wing rhetoric.
- Restore credibility to an asylum and migration system widely viewed as dysfunctional and overwhelmed.
- Demonstrate competence in government during the early months of Labour leadership.
However, criticism from high-profile figures like Burnham complicates the narrative that Labour is united behind Mahmood’s agenda.
For a government that promised stability, discipline and professionalism, internal disagreements—especially public ones—will be watched closely by political rivals.
The Day Ahead in Westminster
Mahmood’s statement will dominate the political agenda today, but several other major events are unfolding:
- Morning: Keir Starmer and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson visit a primary school in Berkshire to launch the next round of funding for free breakfast clubs in England.
- 9am: Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds speaks at the CLA Rural Business Conference.
- 9.30am: The Ministry of Justice releases new quarterly knife crime statistics.
- 11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing.
- Around 11.30am: Shabana Mahmood delivers her statement on legal migration and settlement rules.
- 3pm: Andy Burnham delivers a speech on “good growth” in Greater Manchester — the very speech he was promoting when he made his migration comments.
- 4pm: The Covid Inquiry publishes its report on government decision-making during the pandemic.
With journalists receiving early access to the Covid report, a flood of detailed stories is expected later this afternoon.
A Political Debate That Is Only Just Beginning
Burnham’s call for consensus raises serious questions about whether Labour can maintain unity on what is likely to become one of the most defining issues of the new government.
In a political climate where migration remains highly polarising, Mahmood’s reforms are bold—but risky. They promise to deliver “control” and “fairness,” yet critics say they may undermine long-term integration, increase bureaucracy and create uncertainty for tens of thousands of people who have already suffered instability.
The home secretary’s determination to enact “root and branch reform” is unmistakable. But so, too, is the growing concern among influential Labour figures like Andy Burnham.
As Mahmood prepares to face MPs in the Commons, today’s debate may be only the first major test of Labour’s immigration strategy—and the unity of the government delivering it.
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