Andy Burnham backs Labour immigration reforms amid backbench dissent

Labour leader Andy Burnham has signaled support for Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s immigration crackdown, pledging to vote for the Immigration and Asylum Bill at its second‑reading on Monday. The bill would tighten rules on illegal crossings, replace asylum tribunals with an appeals body and increase the waiting period for Indefinite Leave to Remain from five to ten years, applying the change retrospectively. Nearly 80 Labour MPs have written to Burnham urging a pause to the reforms, warning that the measures could make the UK an “international outlier” and weaken its soft‑power.

Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has criticised Labour’s record, claiming more than 75,000 illegal small‑boat arrivals since the party took power and urging Burnham to adopt tougher measures. Philp’s amendment calls for reinstating a ban on asylum claims by illegal migrants, preventing illegal migrants from obtaining citizenship, expanding powers to deport foreign criminals, and accelerating the ILR changes. He also highlighted the case of convicted groomer Shabir Ahmed, arguing current rules block his deportation.