Angela Rayner has criticised the Government’s proposed changes to the immigration system – known as the “earned settlement” model - as “un-British” and a “breach of trust”.

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She is right. These are the most far-reaching changes to the system in a generation, and they break the promises made to millions of people already living in the UK. But the impact goes far beyond that - the consequences will be felt across the whole country.

These proposals are not just un-British, they are economically short-sighted and risk pushing tens of thousands more children into poverty. What’s more, the Government intends to introduce these changes without meaningful scrutiny or input from MPs or the public.

The “earned settlement” model represents a fundamental shift in the immigration system. Instead of securing settlement - the right to live here permanently - after five years, most migrants would be forced to wait ten.

In theory, that timeline could be shortened by “proving” your worth. In practice, that means rewarding high earners while penalising lower-paid workers - including those in essential roles like social care who keep the country running.

Up to 1.35 million people already living, working and raising families in the UK could be affected. The impacts would be damaging, both economically and socially, at a time when the country can least afford it.

New analysis from the Institute for Public Policy Research shows that scrapping these changes could lift 90,000 children out of poverty by 2029. That is not a marginal policy tweak - it is the difference between hardship and stability for tens of thousands of families.

These proposals are being used as a political tool to win back the voters Labour fears losing to Reform. But treating those voters as driven only by immigration is a mistake. Their concerns are rooted in economic insecurity, the cost-of-living crisis, and a growing loss of trust in mainstream politics.

Blaming migrants won’t fix that.

If Labour wants to win back support, it must focus on strengthening the economy and public services - both of which will be undermined by these changes. The NHS, for example, relies heavily on international staff. Making settlement harder and more uncertain will result in fewer staff, longer waiting times, and a system pushed even closer to breaking point.

It is for this reason that the Royal College of Nursing joined forces with Praxis and partners to bring over 500 people from across the country to Parliament last week to meet with their MPs and push for a progressive immigration system, which welcomes migrants as part of our communities.

Being British is about more than “not going back on your promises”. It is about looking after each other, acceptance, commitment to international conventions, equality before the law and making sure wealth isn’t hoarded at the very top. These are the values the Labour Party was founded on and upon which the Labour movement was built.

Policies like “earned settlement” do not reflect those values. It favours the wealthy and highly educated by allowing them to settle more quickly, while shutting out the very people who keep this country running: care workers, teachers, and other essential staff. These are the workers Labour was founded to represent. Yet policies like this send the message that their contribution counts for less.

Voters can see that contradiction. This helps explain why support for Labour is drifting. On opposite sides of the political spectrum, Reform UK and the Green Party are speaking more effectively to the realities and concerns of working people.

Pressure on this Government is mounting as more MPs call for the changes to be dropped. If the Government is serious about standing a chance at the next election, reducing poverty, and restoring trust in politics, it must urgently change course.

Because fundamentally, this debate is not just about migration policy. It is about what kind of country we choose to be.

Minnie Rahman is the CEO of Praxis, an award-winning migrants' rights charity based in London.

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