Angela Rayner has suggested sexism is behind claims of a Cabinet rift over immigration plans.
uncertain
sexism → suggest → plans
The Housing Secretary dismissed evidence of tensions at the top of Government, saying people 'love saying us girls are all falling out'.
asserted
girls → dismiss → Government
The comments, in a round of broadcast interviews, came after Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh attacked the Home Office's proposals to make immigrants wait years longer for 'settled' status.
asserted
immigrants → come → status
In March Ms Rayner described the plans, championed by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, as 'un-British' and 'wrong'.
asserted
Rayner → describe → Mahmood
Peckham MP Ms Fahnbulleh wrote in an article on her constituency website: 'If we continually prolong the time people have to wait for settlement, we can also prolong the process of building cohesion.
'
asserted
we → write → cohesion
We need to raise the level of the debate, challenge divisive political rhetoric and make the case for communities like the one we have in Peckham.
asserted
we → need → Peckham
That means talking about immigration with care, control and compassion.'
asserted
That → mean → care
Angela Rayner dismissed evidence of tensions at the top of Government, saying people 'love saying us girls are all falling out'
asserted
us → dismiss → Government
The article has now been deleted and is being updated, it is understood.
asserted
it → delete → ?
Ms Mahmood argued last autumn that it was essential to make foreign nationals – particularly those who arrived in the record post-Covid immigration wave – wait longer to secure settled status, also known as 'indefinite leave to remain' (ILR).
asserted
who → argue → leave
She warned that leaving ILR rules untouched would result in 'a £10 billion drain on our public finances' as migrants qualify for full access to benefits and social housing after winning permanent status here.
asserted
migrants → warn → status
Asked about Ms Fahnbulleh's intervention this morning, Ms Rayner told LBC: 'They love saying us girls are all falling out, don't they?
asserted
they → ask → LBC
'I mean, it's just not true.
asserted
it → mean → ?
She defended Ms Mahmood's record on immigration, pointing to an increase in deportations and 48,000 small boat crossing attempts which the Government says have been prevented in the Channel since 2024.
asserted
Government → defend → 2024
'She's delivering, and she's had a consultation on it,' Ms Rayner said.
asserted
Rayner → deliver → it
'She said she wants a fair process, and we're all up for that.'
asserted
we → say → that
Asked why she had attacked the proposals herself, she said: 'I literally made my views known as part of that consultation.'
asserted
views → ask → consultation
Pressed on whether she supports what Ms Mahmood wants to do, she added: 'Absolutely.
asserted
she → press → what
I'm absolutely in support that Shabana needs to tackle this issue.
asserted
Shabana → need → issue
'I mean, every single doorstep you go on, people say we want to secure our borders.
asserted
we → mean → borders
We don't mind immigration that comes to this country.
asserted
that → mind → country
We celebrate immigration that comes to this country.
asserted
that → celebrate → country
We're proud to be a refuge for people who genuinely need to claim asylum here.
uncertain
who → need → asylum
But people want to have confidence that we know who's coming to this country, and we secure our borders.
asserted
we → want → borders
Shabana is doing that.
asserted
Shabana → do → that
She's tackling those issues, and she's been successful where previous home secretaries have not.'
asserted
secretaries → tackle → issues
Ms Rayner told Times Radio: 'I'm confident that Shabana will land in a place that is fair to the taxpayers, fair to people who come to this country, who contribute, who have been asked to come to this country and contribute.'
asserted
who → tell → country
Under the current proposals, the baseline qualification period would double to ten years, while low-skilled foreign workers and anyone claiming benefits during that time would wait even longer.
asserted
workers → double → time
The Daily Mail revealed on Monday more than 200,000 migrants have been granted ILR while the plans have remained in limbo since being first outlined in November.
asserted
plans → reveal → November
According to Home Office estimates 1.6 million migrants are due to qualify for settlement between this year and 2030, although the figure could be as high as 2.2million.
uncertain
figure → accord → 2.2million
It includes more than 450,000 who arrived here on 'health and care worker' visas, which have seen widespread abuse by bogus applicants.
asserted
which → include → applicants
Ms Fahnbulleh's online comments – relating to a constituency 'town hall' meeting she attended on September 25 – also said the 'political debate around immigration has become increasingly depressing and toxic'.
asserted
debate → relate → immigration
She urged her party to 'challenge divisive political rhetoric' on immigration, adding: 'Ultimately, I want to see a system based on control and compassion, with a much stronger focus on integration.'
Ms Rayner was critical of Ms Mahmood's proposals last month, saying in an interview they would 'change the goalposts' for migrants already in Britain.
asserted
they → urge → Britain
She highlighted foreign care workers in particular.
asserted
She → highlight → workers
In March, while on the back benches, Ms Rayner went further and described Ms Mahmood's plan as 'un-British' and a 'breach of trust'.
asserted
Rayner → go → trust
The general secretary of Labour-affiliated trade union Unison, Andrea Egan, has also attacked the proposals.
asserted
secretary → affiliate → proposals
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'Labour's Cabinet members are openly campaigning against their own Government's supposed immigration policy.
'
asserted
members → say → policy
Miatta Fahnbulleh says she opposes a longer time for immigrants to get permanent settlement – the opposite of Shabana Mahmood's claimed policy.
asserted
immigrants → say → policy
'Shabana Mahmood has already delayed implementing her own policy, allowing 200,000 immigrants to stay permanently and claim benefits.
uncertain
immigrants → delay → benefits
Instead of being tough as she said she would be, she is running scared of Angela Rayner and the Labour Left.'
Shabana Mahmood argued last autumn that it was essential to make foreign nationals – particularly those who arrived in the record post-Covid immigration wave – wait longer to secure settled status, also known as 'indefinite leave to remain' (ILR)
asserted
who → say → leave
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
