Shabana Mahmood softens immigration plans in face of cabinet backlash

Exception for care workers will allow up to 300,000 people to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years

Shabana Mahmood has softened plans to force low-paid workers to wait 15 years before settlement in the UK following a backlash from fellow cabinet ministers and backbench Labour MPs.

Under pressure from health unions to make an exception for care workers, the home secretary has moved to allow up to 300,000 people to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years.

Most of the hardline plans drawn up by Mahmood’s office last year remain, including plans to force those who arrived in the UK by small boats to face up to 30 years before being able to apply for settlement.