Chris Mason: Home secretary to face scrutiny over changes to rules for legal migrants

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is facing scrutiny over planned changes to settlement rules for legal migrants. She says the system must be fair both to people seeking a better life in the UK and to those already there, particularly British workers and young people. A consultation on a “fairer pathway to settlement,” launched last November, drew around 200,000 contributions, including 140,000 from visa holders. Mahmood cited net migration of 2.6 million between 2021 and 2024 as a reason for urgent action, while opponents accuse her of retreating under political pressure.