What Are Andy Burnham’s Views on Immigration?

 

What Are Andy Burnham’s Views on Immigration?

16 July 2026

Anne Morris

Employer Solutions Lawyer

https://www.davidsonmorris.com/andy-burnhams-views-on-immigration/

 

Key Takeaways

 Andy Burnham voted in favour of Labour’s Immigration and Asylum Bill at Second Reading.

His vote backs legislation proposing reforms to asylum appeals, Article 8 claims and wider immigration controls.

Although Burnham has expressed concerns about some settlement proposals, his vote signals broad support for Labour’s current immigration direction.

Significant parts of the Bill still require Parliamentary approval before becoming law.

 

Following Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation as Labour leader, Andy Burnham has emerged as the leading contender to succeed him and potentially become the UK’s next Prime Minister.

 

Immigration is likely to be one of the defining issues of any new leadership. While Burnham has not yet published a detailed immigration manifesto, his decision to support the Immigration and Asylum Bill at its Second Reading provides the clearest indication to date of where he stands on Labour’s evolving immigration agenda.

 

UK Immigration Policy under a Burnham Government

 As Burnham has not yet published a detailed immigration programme, any assessment of his likely approach necessarily relies on his parliamentary record, public statements and recent interviews.

 

His parliamentary record generally places him within Labour’s more liberal tradition on immigration and asylum matters.

 

More recently, Burnham has combined calls for stronger border enforcement with parliamentary support for Labour’s Immigration and Asylum Bill, voting in favour of the legislation at its Second Reading in July 2026.

 

 Public Confidence & Control

 Burnham’s recent comments have suggested a greater emphasis on illegal migration, border security and maintaining public confidence in the immigration system than his historic parliamentary record might indicate. In June 2026, he argued that Labour needed to respond more robustly to public concern over unlawful entry, removals and the effectiveness of immigration enforcement.

 

Those comments were subsequently reinforced when Burnham voted in favour of the Immigration and Asylum Bill at its Second Reading in the House of Commons in July 2026. While support for a Bill at this stage does not necessarily indicate agreement with every individual provision, it does represent backing for its overall direction and underlying policy objectives.

 

The Bill proposes reform of the asylum system, including limiting the circumstances in which Article 8 family life claims can succeed in immigration cases, replacing the current immigration appeals process with a new system of independent adjudicators, creating new safe and legal refugee sponsorship routes and introducing wider measures intended to strengthen immigration enforcement and reduce irregular migration, including Channel crossings.

 

Burnham’s support for the Bill therefore suggests that, while he has continued to advocate fairness for those already lawfully established in the UK, he also supports Labour’s broader programme of tighter asylum controls, faster decision-making and stronger border enforcement. His position appears to be one of controlled and managed immigration, combining stricter enforcement against unlawful migration with continued support for legal immigration routes that serve the UK’s economic and humanitarian objectives.

 

 More Nuance Around Legal Migration

 Burnham has generally placed greater emphasis on skills, training and workforce participation than on restricting legal migration itself. While he has argued that employers should invest more in developing the domestic workforce, he has not historically advocated the wholesale closure of work visa routes or the abandonment of the points-based immigration system. A Burnham-led government may therefore place greater weight on improving skills provision, regional economic development and labour market participation among UK workers, rather than focusing primarily on reducing visa numbers.

 

Even so, there is little indication that he would reverse the wider political consensus in favour of lower net migration. Legal migration would likely remain subject to significant controls, albeit potentially with greater recognition of the economic role played by sponsored workers in sectors facing genuine labour and skills shortages.

 

 Settlement & Long-Term Residence

 One area where Burnham has appeared more cautious than some policymakers concerns reforms affecting individuals who are already lawfully living in the UK.

 

He has expressed concern about retrospective changes that could alter expectations for people who entered the UK under one set of immigration rules but later face more restrictive requirements for settlement or long-term residence.

 

Those comments have attracted attention because they contrast with recent government proposals that could significantly extend the period many visa holders need to spend in the UK before becoming eligible for settlement.

 

These settlement proposals are separate from the Immigration and Asylum Bill currently progressing through Parliament.

 

 Asylum Policy and Access to Work

 Burnham’s recent comments suggest support for faster decision-making in the asylum system, while his wider record indicates a more sympathetic approach to asylum and integration issues than many of his political opponents.

 

Previous comments have also indicated support for allowing more asylum seekers to work while applications are being processed. Although this does not reflect current government policy, it represents an area where his position appears more flexible than that of some politicians advocating stricter restrictions.

 

 Current Labour Immigration Policy & The New PM’s Immigration Inheritance

 The UK’s new PM will be taking office following a period of significant change to the immigration system. Since entering government, Labour has introduced a series of measures aimed at reducing net migration, as well as increasing compliance obligations for sponsors.

 

 Reduced Reliance on Overseas Recruitment

 A central theme of Labour’s immigration policy has been reducing long-term reliance on overseas labour while encouraging greater investment in domestic recruitment, training and workforce development.

 

The government’s 2025 Immigration White Paper outlined a broad strategy focused on linking immigration policy more closely to labour market planning to ensure that immigration supports economic growth while reducing dependence on overseas recruitment in sectors that have historically relied heavily on sponsored workers, an approach that has already influenced a number of policy reforms affecting employers across the UK.

 

 Skilled Worker Route Reforms

 Recent changes to the Skilled Worker route have significantly narrowed access to sponsorship for many lower-skilled roles.

 

Key reforms include:

Higher skills thresholds for sponsored employment.

Restrictions on sponsorship for lower-skilled occupations.

Reduced availability of immigration routes for some sectors previously reliant on overseas recruitment.

Greater scrutiny of recruitment practices and workforce planning.

 

So while immigration routes remain available for genuine skills shortages, the government increasingly expects employers to demonstrate that sponsorship forms part of a broader workforce strategy rather than a permanent substitute for domestic recruitment.

 

 Tougher Sponsor Compliance

 Alongside changes to visa eligibility, Labour has continued the trend towards greater sponsor compliance enforcement. Recent Home Office activity has included increased scrutiny of sponsor licence holders, expanded record-keeping obligations and more intensive compliance investigations in sectors considered to present elevated immigration risks.

 

Sponsors now face greater focus on:

Genuine vacancy assessments.

Payroll and salary compliance.

Working hours and utilisation levels.

Right to work compliance.

Record-keeping and reporting duties.

Ongoing monitoring of sponsored workers.

 

The care sector in particular has experienced some of the most visible enforcement activity, although scrutiny has increasingly extended across the wider sponsorship system.

 

 Proposed Settlement Reforms

 One of the most significant proposals currently under discussion concerns access to settlement (ILR).

 

The government has proposed extending the standard route to settlement for many visa holders from five years to ten years, alongside a greater emphasis on contribution, integration and long-term participation in UK society.

 

Although the final form of these reforms remains subject to consultation and implementation decisions, the proposals present settlement as a longer-term objective rather than an automatic progression following a period of lawful residence.

 

Recent ministerial comments also indicate that aspects of the settlement proposals, particularly their application to existing care workers, continue to be reviewed before final policy decisions are taken.

 

It is within this area that some of Burnham’s recent comments have attracted attention, particularly where he has expressed concern about the impact of retrospective changes on individuals who have already made long-term plans based on existing immigration rules.

 

 DMS Perspective

 While aspects of Labour’s reforms may yet evolve, Burnham’s support for the Bill indicates broad agreement with the Government’s overall approach rather than a move towards a substantially different immigration stance.

 

For employers and migrants, the main conclusion at present is that a Burnham premiership would be unlikely to see a fundamental break from current UK immigration policy. While individual policies may evolve and aspects of the proposed settlement reforms could yet change, there is little evidence to suggest a reversal of Labour’s wider programme of tighter immigration control, and tougher compliance enforcement and efforts.