{"id":10440,"date":"2026-07-13T21:00:27","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T18:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/burnham-to-back-immigration-crackdown-as-future-pm\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T21:00:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T18:00:27","slug":"burnham-to-back-immigration-crackdown-as-future-pm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/burnham-to-back-immigration-crackdown-as-future-pm\/","title":{"rendered":"Burnham to Back Immigration Crackdown as Future PM"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Burnham<\/strong>, who is poised to assume leadership of the Labour Party and the premiership next week, has indicated his backing for reforms drafted by Home Secretary <strong>Shabana Mahmood<\/strong>, according to <strong>Timothy Nerozzi<\/strong> writing in <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. Approximately 80 Labour parliamentarians have voiced opposition to the proposals, claiming they are unjust and place unreasonable burdens on asylum seekers and migrants.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-10440 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26180404742259-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-10436\" srcset=\"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26180404742259-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26180404742259-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26180404742259-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26180404742259-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26180404742259-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-10436'>\n\t\t\t\tPhoto: washingtonexaminer.com\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP23118802924018-2-1-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-10437\" srcset=\"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP23118802924018-2-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP23118802924018-2-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP23118802924018-2-1.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-10437'>\n\t\t\t\tPhoto: washingtonexaminer.com\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2178564_sd_687e3c22c0039_1753103394-1-300x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-10438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2178564_sd_687e3c22c0039_1753103394-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2178564_sd_687e3c22c0039_1753103394-1.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-10438'>\n\t\t\t\tPhoto: washingtonexaminer.com\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>A spokesperson for Burnham outlined his position, stating: <em>This bill takes important steps towards restoring confidence by tackling illegal crossings<\/em> while strengthening safe and legal routes for genuine refugees. The spokesperson added that the reforms aim to create a system that balances compassion with credibility, ensuring fairness both to those seeking protection and to the communities receiving them.<\/p>\n<p>The proposed reforms would restrict the ability of foreign nationals with criminal records or failed asylum applications to delay their deportation through appeals to human rights legislation. A fast-track deportation system would be established, and migrants would be required to cover the costs of their own accommodation.<\/p>\n<p>The most contentious element of Mahmood&#8217;s proposal involves extending the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain, or ILR, which grants the right to stay in the country permanently without citizenship. Labour MPs have expressed particular anger over plans to double the required residency period from five years to ten years, with the change applied retroactively. This would force those on the verge of qualifying to wait an additional five years.<\/p>\n<p>Individuals holding ILR status are eligible for social welfare programmes including disability payments, tax credits, and universal credit.<\/p>\n<p>Last week, dozens of Labour lawmakers signed a letter warning Burnham that the policy represented something <em>anathema to who we are, what we stand for<\/em> as a party.<\/p>\n<p>While Burnham has stated he agrees with the general direction of the plan and the need to restore public confidence in the asylum system, he has suggested the government must strike the right balance. Reports indicate the incoming prime minister may be considering modifications to the ILR provisions, potentially allowing migrants to gain the status on the original five-year timeline but withholding benefits for several additional years.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Chris Philp<\/strong>, shadow home secretary for the Conservative Party, framed the immigration reform package as an early test of Burnham&#8217;s political resolve. He indicated the Conservatives would support the proposals if presented unamended and undiluted, but expressed scepticism that Burnham possesses the strength to resist pressure from left-wing Labour MPs.<\/p>\n<p>Philp suggested Burnham appears ready to capitulate and dilute the reforms, allowing permanent residence rights after just five years alongside associated welfare entitlements.<\/p>\n<p>Burnham is expected to formally take office as Prime Minister on July 20, completing a rapid internal party transition that saw him assume the top position without facing opposition within Labour ranks.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:right\"><em>With information from <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Washington Examiner<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Britain&#8217;s incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham will support stricter immigration controls despite opposition from 80 Labour MPs who call the measures, including doubling residency requirements, too harsh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":10439,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[122],"tags":[5949,3080,2824,9168,941,5039,48],"nfg_topic":[134],"class_list":["post-10440","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-andy-burnham","tag-asylum-seekers","tag-home-office","tag-immigration-crackdown","tag-labour-party","tag-shabana-mahmood","tag-united-kingdom","nfg_topic-europe"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10440","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10440"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10440\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10440"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10440"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10440"},{"taxonomy":"nfg_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsfire.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/nfg_topic?post=10440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}