Right-wing Tory MP hits out at Rishi Sunak's 'weakness' over visa climbdown

22 December 2023 , 14:47

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PM Rishi Sunak leaving No10 just days before Christmas (Image: PA)

Right-wing Tories have criticised Rishi Sunak's "weakness" after the government's embarrassing climbdown on family visa fees.

The Home Office quietly watered down plans to sharply increase the earnings threshold for Brits bringing family members to the UK to £38,700 from £18,600 next spring. Instead it will now increase to £29,000 with no timetable set for the higher figure.

The decision to water down the policy came just 48 hours after MPs had vacated the Commons for the Christmas break.

Tory MP David Jones, deputy chairman of the right-wing European Research Group, said: "The latest net migration figures very starkly showed the extent of the crisis we face. Increasing the threshold was absolutely necessary to address that crisis. The Government should have stuck to its guns. Yesterday's decision was a regrettable sign of weakness, made worse by the fact that Parliament was not sitting and therefore was unable to interrogate ministers on the reasons for the decision."

Jonathan Gullis, a former Tory minister, said he was "becoming increasingly frustrated" and hit out at ministers for sneaking out the announcement during the Christmas period. He added: "I think for those voters they'll just be deeply disappointed that they've heard the rhetoric, they've not seen them [ministers] follow through with the delivery."

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Labour also seized on the move to water down the fees as a further sign of "chaos" in the Conservatives. Gavin Edwards, the head of social care at Unison union, said: “This partial climb down on visa rules will bring some relief to migrant care workers already here with families. But ministers should have been clear from the start. Overseas care staff could have been spared weeks of worry.

“The muddled and chaotic approach points to panic at the heart of the government. It remains the case that ministers' reckless changes to immigration policy spell disaster for social care. "

"Migrant care workers are now more likely to shun the UK in favour of parts of the world where their skills and families will be more welcome. That isn't good for a social care system that's become reliant upon their support. Ministers should now row back completely and still allow care workers to bring dependants here."

The higher threshold was announced earlier this month by Home Secretary James Cleverly in a desperate bid to curb legal migration.

Ashley Cowburn