Angela Rayner criticises worker visa plans on eve of Labour conference

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has expressed concerns about Labour's proposals to change visa rules, which would make it harder for foreign workers to gain permanent residency in the UK. She criticized Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's plan to extend the waiting period to 10 years for most migrants and 15 years for health and social care workers. Rayner described these changes as disruptive, especially for foreign care workers who moved to the UK to care for loved ones, and stated she has not changed her view since rejoining the cabinet. She also criticized the inherited policy from Sir Keir Starmer and noted growing pressure from trade unions to reconsider these plans.