Angela Rayner stands by attack on care worker visa reforms ahead of Labour conference

Angela Rayner has reaffirmed her criticism of the Home Office reforms that would complicate the process for foreign care workers seeking permanent residency in the UK, labeling the changes as "disruptive." This statement comes as the Labour Party prepares for its upcoming conference.

Last year, Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, announced that low-paid migrants in jobs below graduate level would need to reside in the UK for 15 years before applying for settlement. Rayner previously condemned these plans as "un-British." The policy was introduced under the previous Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, in response to voter concerns regarding net migration numbers.

Andy Burnham, who succeeded Starmer in July, has expressed discomfort with certain aspects of the proposals and is contemplating exemptions for workers already residing in the UK. Over 100 Labour MPs and numerous trade unions have voiced their opposition to the reforms.

Rayner emphasized that the changes would unfairly penalize those who have relocated to the UK to care for vulnerable individuals. As a former care worker who left school at 16, she has been vocal about her disapproval of the plans even before her return to the cabinet. She previously resigned as deputy prime minister amid a controversy over unpaid stamp duty on a property in Hove.