Leftie lawyers attempt to block James Cleverly's masterplan to halt immigration surge (Image: Getty)

       Leftie lawyers representing families threatened by plans to raise the family visa income threshold may be plotting to scupper the Government's new rules in court. A sharp increase from ￡18,600 to ￡38,700 in the minimum Brits have to earn if they want to bring foreign family members to the UK was announced by Home Secretary James Cleverly earlier this month.

       The move forms part of a bid to curb numbers after the Office for National Statistics revised its net migration figure - the difference between the number of people arriving in the country and leaving - to put 2022 at a record of 745,000.

       Campaign group Reunite Families has instructed the law firm, Leigh Day, to explore ways the plan can be challenged in the courts. Grounds for a legal challenge may include the Government’s handling of assessments of the rule change's impact; questioning how the new ￡38,700 income minimum was reached or whether it interferes with the right to family life under the European Convention of Human Rights, The Guardian reports.

       Caroline Coombs, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Reunite Families, told the same publication that the threshold was a "horrendous shock" for tens of thousands of British citizens and their loved ones.

       Powered By

       00:00/05:08

       10

       10

       Utd Jw

       Share

       Next

       Stay

       READ MORE Prince Harry and Meghan planning 'total system reboot' after turbulent year

       Reunite Families said: "We have instructed the law firm, Leigh Day, to advise us on potential legal avenues. Given the absolute lack of information currently provided on the policy, we want further detail from the Home Secretary on the policy as a first step."

       A Home Office spokesperson said the higher salary threshold is needed so family members from abroad joining British citizens are not a burden on the state. They added: "The Prime Minister has made clear current levels of migration to the UK are far too high.

       "We have a longstanding principle that anyone bringing dependents to live in the UK must be able to financially support them. The minimum income requirement ensures families are self-sufficient instead of relying on public funds, with the ability to integrate if they are to play a full part in British life."

       Don't miss...

       UK will ‘destroy evil channel migrant gangs’says Secretary of State Grant Shapps [COMMENT]

       Royal Variety blasted after King Charles and Camilla 'snub' ITV event [REPORT]

       Striking -11C snow blast set to bring bitter chaos to Britain over Christmas [LATEST]

       Italian PM Giorgia Meloni greets Rishi Sunak at the 'Atreju 2023' Conservative political festival (Image: Getty)

       News of the potential legal action came within hours of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warning Europe could be "overwhelmed" by migrants. Mr Sunak used a gathering of Italian conservatives and right-wingers to issue a stark warning of the threat posed by illegal migration, suggesting changes to global refugee rules might be needed.

       In a speech to the Atreju event organised by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, Mr Sunak said radical solutions, such as his Rwanda plan, were needed to protect countries' borders. Saying "enemies" want to use migration as a "weapon", he added: "If we do not tackle this problem, the numbers will only grow. It will overwhelm our countries and our capacity to help those who actually need our help the most.

       "If that requires us to update our laws and lead an international conversation to amend the post-war frameworks around asylum, then we must do that. Because if we don't fix this problem now, the boats will keep coming and more lives will be lost at sea."

       DON'T MISS

       Powered by

       Tory MPs warn Rishi Sunak's migration climbdown is 'sign of weakness'

       100 Comments

       Brexiteer blasts Rishi Sunak over 'failed' policy as Brits foot ￡112 daily migrant bill

       191 Comments

       UK will ‘destroy evil channel migrant gangs' says Secretary of State Grant Shapps

       535 Comments

       Tories fume as ministers makes major immigration u-turn - and confirm huge delay

       205 Comments

       Rishi Sunak orders secret emergency summit today to avoid Tory civil war over Rwanda Bill

       79 Comments

       Ireland to sue UK over Boris Johnson Bill using hated secretive European court

       1316 Comments

       Immigration is tearing apart the EU all over again

       29 Comments

       Rishi Sunak issued grim warning that failing on Rwanda plan will spark 'bloodbath'

       392 Comments

       Churchill would turn in his grave at Lefties' human rights mission creep - Leo McKinstry

       6 Comments

       Brexiteer ERG's 'Star Chamber' delivers brutal verdict on Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Bill

       442 Comments

       POLL: Should Tory MPs back Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Bill? Vote here

       434 Comments

       Suella Braverman slams Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Bill as it 'will not stop the boats'

       87 Comments

       UK earmarks ￡700m to manage small boat arrivals with plan to open two new 'facilities'

       168 Comments

       Rishi Sunak delayed migration crackdown fearing it would hurt the economy

       637 Comments

       Ministers scale back proposed ￡38k wage threshold for family visas

       198 Comments

       Britain 'snubbed' as Italy secures Rwanda-style migrant deal with Albania

       115 Comments

       BBC sparks outrage for branding Sunak-Meloni festival far right in 'disrespectful' slur

       474 Comments

       Rishi Sunak 'in last chance saloon' warns Brexiteer MP as he fears election 'catastrophe'

       50 Comments

       Rishi Sunak warns refugees are being used as a weapon to 'overwhelm' Britain

       2728 Comments

       Tories row back on ￡38k migrant family visa plan

       Comments

       Tory MPs warn Rishi Sunak's migration climbdown is 'sign of weakness'

       100 Comments

       Brexiteer blasts Rishi Sunak over 'failed' policy as Brits foot ￡112 daily migrant bill

       191 Comments

       UK will ‘destroy evil channel migrant gangs' says Secretary of State Grant Shapps

       535 Comments

       Tories fume as ministers makes major immigration u-turn - and confirm huge delay

       205 Comments

       Rishi Sunak orders secret emergency summit today to avoid Tory civil war over Rwanda Bill

       79 Comments

       Ireland to sue UK over Boris Johnson Bill using hated secretive European court

       1316 Comments

       Immigration is tearing apart the EU all over again

       29 Comments

       Rishi Sunak issued grim warning that failing on Rwanda plan will spark 'bloodbath'

       392 Comments

       Churchill would turn in his grave at Lefties' human rights mission creep - Leo McKinstry

       6 Comments

       Brexiteer ERG's 'Star Chamber' delivers brutal verdict on Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Bill

       442 Comments

       POLL: Should Tory MPs back Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Bill? Vote here

       434 Comments

       Suella Braverman slams Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Bill as it 'will not stop the boats'

       87 Comments

       UK earmarks ￡700m to manage small boat arrivals with plan to open two new 'facilities'

       168 Comments

       Rishi Sunak delayed migration crackdown fearing it would hurt the economy

       637 Comments

       Ministers scale back proposed ￡38k wage threshold for family visas

       198 Comments

       Britain 'snubbed' as Italy secures Rwanda-style migrant deal with Albania

       115 Comments

       BBC sparks outrage for branding Sunak-Meloni festival far right in 'disrespectful' slur

       474 Comments

       Rishi Sunak 'in last chance saloon' warns Brexiteer MP as he fears election 'catastrophe'

       50 Comments

       Rishi Sunak warns refugees are being used as a weapon to 'overwhelm' Britain

       2728 Comments

       Tories row back on ￡38k migrant family visa plan

       Comments

       Tory MPs warn Rishi Sunak's migration climbdown is 'sign of weakness'

       100 Comments

       Brexiteer blasts Rishi Sunak over 'failed' policy as Brits foot ￡112 daily migrant bill

       191 Comments

       UK will ‘destroy evil channel migrant gangs' says Secretary of State Grant Shapps

       535 Comments

       Tories fume as ministers makes major immigration u-turn - and confirm huge delay

       205 Comments

       Rishi Sunak orders secret emergency summit today to avoid Tory civil war over Rwanda Bill

       79 Comments

       Ireland to sue UK over Boris Johnson Bill using hated secretive European court

       1316 Comments

       Immigration is tearing apart the EU all over again

       29 Comments

       Become an Express Premium member Support fearless journalism Read The Daily Express online, advert free Get super-fast page loading

       Start 30-day

       FREE trial

       Trending

       Deputy PM Oliver Dowden (Image: Getty)

       Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden on Sunday (December 17) defended Mr Sunak's claim migration could "overwhelm" European states.

       He told Sky News: "I think the Prime Minister is absolutely right to issue this warning, and indeed it's not just a warning, it's something that we have seen elsewhere - we have seen the weaponisation of migration, for example, in the conduct of Belarus in relation to Poland, there's been warnings from Finland in respect of the conduct of Russia."

       Mr Dowden said the "broader point" is that people need to feel reassured the Government has control of Britain's borders and people smugglers bringing people across the Channel illegally have to be stopped.

       Related articles Huge blaze tears through asylum seeker hotel hours after protests outside ITV viewers make the same complaint minutes into The Royal Variety Performance Horror footage shows huge crowds ploughing London in mad pre-Christmas rush Tony Blackburn's heartfelt message to BBC Radio listeners in final sign-off EU nations risk becoming vassals in German-dominated superstate - insiders