A public disagreement has surfaced between Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer regarding the tenure of Immigration Minister Mike Tapp. The friction stems from an article Tapp authored for The Times, where he argued that foreign care workers should be exempt from Mahmood’s proposed visa policy shifts for current UK residents.
Mahmood reportedly only became aware of Tapp’s public stance when contacted by the media. She views his actions as a violation of the Ministerial Code, which mandates collective responsibility and private debate over public dissent. Consequently, she has suggested Tapp should be dismissed. Conversely, Downing Street officials maintain that Tapp will keep his position and face no disciplinary removal.
The controversy arises as the government prepares for significant immigration reforms, including the Immigration and Asylum Bill. These proposals seek to extend the duration required for migrants to achieve permanent residency, with specific categories facing waits of up to 15 or 20 years. While dozens of Labour MPs have voiced opposition to these plans, characterizing them as unfair, Mahmood defends them as necessary responses to rising arrival numbers. Meanwhile, potential leadership contender Andy Burnham has expressed support for the general direction of Mahmood’s proposed reforms.
