segunda-feira, 13 de julho de 2026
Immigration bill amend will allow removal of Rochdale gang leader
Immigration
bill amend will allow removal of Rochdale gang leader
Andy
Burnham expected to vote in favour of home secretary’s changes to legal
loophole and asylum system
Jessica
Elgot Deputy political editor
Mon 13
Jul 2026 20.20 BST
At
present, Ahmed cannot be deported because of a 1971 law applying to
Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK more than 50 years ago.
Mahmood
intends to change the legal loophole to make it possible to deport those
convicted of serious criminality such as terrorism, child sexual exploitation
or human trafficking – though Pakistan has made it clear it would be unlikely
to accept Ahmed’s return.
Ahmed was
recently released from prison after spending 22 years in jail for multiple
child sexual offences, including rape. The Home Office said it would bring the
law in line with the same crimes that can lead to deprivation of citizenship
and said the protection from deportation would still apply for that generation,
apart from in the most serious circumstances where the offender is a war
criminal or is involved in serious organised crime.
The
amendment, which was tabled on Monday, will give the home secretary powers to
disapply the protections from the 1971 act. Mahmood said the act “provides
protections for long-term UK residents but, clearly, should not be acting as a
bar against removal in cases like that of Shabir Ahmed”. Mahmood said she was
“exploring all options” to ensure Ahmed was deported.
Andy
Burnham, who will be prime minister when the final version of the reforms comes
to the Commons, will vote for the bill on Monday night in the Commons, with his
team indicating that he also backs Mahmood’s changes for indefinite leave to
remain (ILR) and on refugee settlement.
Changes
in the legislation include how courts can apply article 8 of the European
convention on human rights (ECHR) in immigration and deportation cases, which
Mahmood has claimed is being abused.
It will
also outline a new structure for asylum tribunals by dropping an independent
court system and replacing it with a new appeals body. Mahmood has also
announced new legal routes – including community sponsorship for refugees.
“This
country has always provided sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution, and
I am proud of that fact,” Mahmood told the Commons. “But we must accept that
public consent for our asylum system is fraying. Unless we restore control, we
will lose the British public’s support entirely.”
Mahmood
said the changes would “restore fairness to our asylum system, fairness both to
those who are fleeing war and persecution, and also fairness towards those
communities already here who bear the burden of supporting”.
She
added: “There is nothing fair about a system that is based upon uncontrolled,
unsafe and illegal routes into this country. The only people who it serves are
the people smugglers. Instead, a fair asylum system must be grounded in
controlled, safe and legal asylum.”
The most
controversial proposed change by Mahmood will double the time it takes to
qualify for ILR from five to 10 years, which gives migrants the right to
permanently live and work in Britain.
Those
changes do not require legislation and Mahmood said they would be finalised by
the end of the year once the government has responded to its consultation.
Mahmood
had been keen for the change to apply to the recent rise in migrants who came
on new visas issued, often to care workers, by the last Conservative
government.
MPs are
not expecting a rebellion over Monday’s bill, though there will be some
abstentions.
One
option under consideration is that those currently in the UK would qualify for
ILR after the five-year wait – rather than a decade – but would need to wait an
additional period in order to claim any state benefits.
Almost 80
Labour MPs have signed a letter to Burnham urging him to change the policy to
stop it applying to migrants already in the country, calling it “an anathema to
who we are, what we stand for and how we should do politics”.
Burnham
signalled during his Makerfield byelection campaign that he was comfortable
with most of the immigration changes being made by Mahmood, who is widely
expected to stay on as home secretary. A spokesperson for Burnham said: “Andy
believes the public deserve an asylum system that is both compassionate and
credible.
“This
bill takes important steps towards restoring confidence by tackling illegal
crossings while strengthening safe and legal routes for genuine refugees. This
is about ensuring the system is fair both to those seeking protection and to
the communities that welcome them.”
Andy Burnham secures Labour leadership with landslide support of MPs
.jpeg)
Andy
Burnham secures Labour leadership with landslide support of MPs
Additional
27 nominations mean it is impossible for any other candidate to launch
leadership challenge
Aletha
Adu and Pippa Crerar
Mon 13
Jul 2026 20.00 BST
Andy
Burnham is to become Britain’s next prime minister after winning the backing of
349 Labour MPs, including all of Keir Starmer’s current cabinet, making it
impossible for any rival to secure enough nominations to challenge him.
The new
MP for Makerfield received an extra 27 nominations on Monday, taking his total
from 322 last week to 349. With only 54 MPs yet to back him, including Keir
Starmer and Shabana Mahmood, who cannot nominate because of her role as
national executive committee (NEC) chair, no other candidate can now reach the
81 nominations needed to enter the contest.
Burnham
is now set to replace Starmer as Labour leader on Friday before walking through
the doors of No 10 and becoming prime minister next Monday. He is using an
online hustings with the Parliamentary Labour party (PLP) to urge MPs to unite
behind his leadership.
Burnham
told the PLP on Monday night that he promises to build a “broad church”
cabinet, as is the Labour movement’s tradition. He said all appointments next
week will reflect the idea that the party under his leadership will represent
all wings of the party, reflecting “contribution, experience and commitment”.
In a
clear bid to reset relations between No 10 and Labour MPs, Burnham vowed to
create a “team and culture where everyone is valued, seen and listened to”. He
told MPs he wants to be “accountable, visible and accessible” to establish a
feedback loop between the PLP, into local communities and back to the
leadership and cabinet ministers, which he said is essential for good
policy-making and delivery.
Burnham
said his administration will focus on delivering good growth in every postcode,
devolving more power to communities and putting the cost of living at the front
and centre of government. His focus on devolution and “the north” has filled
some Labour MPs with anxiety that only his allies with constituencies in the
north of England, or who are linked to what some have described as the “blue
Labour movement” will be the ones with constituents who are showcased, and feel
the benefit of his new leadership and policies immediately.
He began
the “hustings” by paying tribute to Ann Widdecombe, saying Labour’s thoughts
are with her family and friends, while urging politicians to give police “the
resources and space they need” to investigate her death.
Burnham
also praised Starmer, who is in the final days of his premiership, for
delivering the Hillsborough law, noting the prime minister kept the promise he
made to the families of the 1989 disaster, before telling MPs that the country
expects Labour to come together at a “significant moment” for Britain.
Meanwhile
the Guardian understands Starmer’s formal resignation at Buckingham Palace,
previously scheduled for early next Monday, has been pushed back to later in
the morning due to England’s World Cup run.
Starmer
is expected to attend Sunday’s final in New Jersey if England beat Argentina in
the semi-final on Wednesday, which would put the men’s national team on the
verge of a first major trophy since 1966. He is due to formally meet King
Charles the following day, and it will now take place more than two hours later
than planned, regardless of England’s fate, to accommodate a potential trip.
The logistics of a transatlantic red-eye flight mean the original slot was
deemed impractical.
Others
who nominated Burnham on Monday included the junior ministers Chris Bryant and
Mike Tapp, the former minister Jess Phillips and Richard Burgon, the secretary
of the leftwing Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs.
The extra
nominations included backing from the communities secretary, Steve Reed, a key
ally of Keir Starmer. Reed was the only member of the Cabinet not to nominate
Burnham last week – Shabana Mahmood and Anna Turley, by convention, will not
nominate anyone because of their positions as chairs of Labour’s NEC and the
party respectively. Starmer, as outgoing leader, also by convention does not
take part.
Additional
reporting by Nick Ames in Dallas
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