100 Labour MPs have signed a letter to the Prime Minister calling for harsh new asylum rules to be softened and, according to The Guardian, some ministers are also calling for a new approach.

The letter argues:”You don’t win back public confidence in the asylum system by threatening to forcibly remove refugees who have lived here lawfully for 15 or 20 years.”

Angela Rayner has also criticised the proposed changes, which double the time needed to achieve settled status from five to ten years, and would also apply to people who have already entered the UK:

“We cannot talk about earning a settlement if we keep moving the goalposts,” she said. “Because moving the goalposts undermines our sense of fair play. It’s un-British.”

MPs are arguing that the Gorton and Denton by-election result shows that seeking to appease Reform is misguided as Labour faces an equivalent threat from the Green Party, which favours a much more tolerant approach.

The new changes do not require a parliamentary vote, leaving opponents few options to challenge them.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/05/ministers-labour-backbenchers-temper-shabana-mahmood-immigration-plans