Andy Burnham has said that Labour should listen to Rayner
Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister has issued a stark warning, saying that Labour is “running out of time” to deliver the change that “people wanted so desperately”.
In a speech at centre-left campaign group Mainstream’s spring reception, Rayner said Labour “cannot just go through the motions in the face of decline”.
The Labour MP for Ashton-under-Lyne warned that “There’s no safe ground and we’re running out of time. The change that people wanted so desperately needs to be seen, it needs to be felt”.
Rayner also hit out at the government’s “un-British” proposal to increase the standard qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain from five to 10 years, even for those who have already settled in the UK.
She said: “Let us be a country that has sustainable economic migration rules, but one that upholds the British values we want all who live here to respect. Not special treatment. But the stability and a fair pathway forward after the sacrifices many have made to build a lawful life in the UK.
“If we suddenly change that, it pulls the rug from under those that have planned their lives and commitments, and they’re contributing to our economy and to our society.
“That would not just be bad policy, but a breach of trust. The people already in the system who made a huge investment now fear for their future. We cannot talk about earning a settlement if we keep moving the goalposts because moving the goalposts undermines a sense of fair play. It’s un-British.”
Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, has said that Labour should take heed of Rayner’s message.
He said: “I certainly know where she is coming from and the party would always do well to listen to what Angela has got to say.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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