Robert Jenrick says he won’t vote for Rwanda immigration bill
Home Office ministers have sparked fury after announcing a major immigration u-turn just weeks after pledging to finally crack down on Britain’s record high influxes. Just three weeks ago, Home Secretary James Cleverly pledged a significant crackdown on immigration to cut numbers coming to Britain.
A key plank of the plan was the visa salary threshold increasing from ￡26,200 to ￡38,700.
Last night, however, a minister quietly announced that plans to make it harder for Britons to bring foreign partners and family members to the UK will be significantly watered down following left-wing backlash.
The Government had planned on making the family/spousal visa threshold the same as foreign workers - at ￡38,700, up from today’s ￡18,600.
READ MORE: Ministers scale back proposed ￡38k wage threshold for family visas
Stay up-to-date with the latest Politics news Join us on WhatsApp Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
The Government has watered down its policy (Image: Getty)
Last night it emerged foreign spouses will need to earn just ￡29,000 in order to move to the UK, and the threshold won’t rise for visa renewals.
The announcement, slipped out by a Lords minister yesterday evening, sparked immediate backlash among right-wing Tories.
Robert Jenrick, who quit as immigration minister when Rishi Sunak’s new Rwanda deportation bill failed to live up to expectations, said: “More measures are needed, not less."
Miriam Cates, co-chair of the New Conservative group of Tory MPs, blasted the move, saying: “Reducing the threshold for spousal visas so soon after promising a crack down does not bode well."
Red Wall MP Jonathan Gullis slammed the Government’s climbdown, describing the decision as “deeply disappointing and undermine our efforts”.
Stay up-to-date with the latest Politics news Join us on WhatsApp Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
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
Don't miss...
Rishi Sunak accused of breaking another pledge as Britain on brink of recession [LATEST]
Sunak suffers blow on borrowing pledge with increased cost worth ￡200 per head [LATEST]
Families will be kept apart over Christmas by Sadiq Khan's hated ULEZ charge [LATEST]
Robert Jenrick says plans must be brought in now, not kicked into the long grass (Image: Getty)
Richard Tice, leader of Reform UK, accused the Government of reneging on their immigration pledges from just three weeks ago.
He added: “They simply cannot be trusted to do what they say."
Former MEP and commentator Patrick O’Flynn accused the Tories of “selling out to big business vested interests”, describing it as outrageous but “no surprise at all”.
In a clarification letter, newly-appointed immigration minister promised the spouse visa will eventually rise to ￡38,700, but refused to guarantee any timetable or deadline.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Asylum seekers stopped at airport ‘trying to leave Britain and go home for the holidays'
1849 Comments
Rishi Sunak 'in last chance saloon' warns Brexiteer MP as he fears election 'catastrophe'
50 Comments
Rishi Sunak orders secret emergency summit today to avoid Tory civil war over Rwanda Bill
79 Comments
Labour's alternative Rwanda plan will lead to 'mass migration', Tory minister warns
664 Comments
MPs worry that Labour scrapping Rwanda policy could attract illegal migration
118 Comments
‘Three-pronged' attack to stop the people smugglers
17 Comments
Rishi Sunak has made ‘zero progress' and is ‘miles behind in the polls'
59 Comments
Rishi Sunak plans to axe inheritance tax in huge giveaway before 2024 election
842 Comments
James Cleverly says Keir Starmer 'would let tens of thousands of illegal migrants' into UK
208 Comments
Brexiteer blasts Rishi Sunak over 'failed' policy as Brits foot ￡112 daily migrant bill
191 Comments
British passport holders must follow two conditions for EU travel - deadline revealed
74 Comments
Jeremy Hunt considering major tax changes to rescue Tory election hopes
175 Comments
Reform UK could be a bigger danger than the Tories realise, suggests polling expert
1178 Comments
Rwanda will tear Tories apart or force snap election, MPs warn
220 Comments
Ministers scale back proposed ￡38k wage threshold for family visas
200 Comments
Tories row back on ￡38k migrant family visa plan
Comments
Tory MPs warn Rishi Sunak's migration climbdown is 'sign of weakness'
102 Comments
Migrant arrivals may force ￡8million-a-day hotel bill to rise
972 Comments
Rishi Sunak defends visa clampdown delay after Tory criticism
38 Comments
Leftie lawyers attempt to block James Cleverly's masterplan to halt immigration surge
Comments
Asylum seekers stopped at airport ‘trying to leave Britain and go home for the holidays'
1849 Comments
Rishi Sunak 'in last chance saloon' warns Brexiteer MP as he fears election 'catastrophe'
50 Comments
Rishi Sunak orders secret emergency summit today to avoid Tory civil war over Rwanda Bill
79 Comments
Labour's alternative Rwanda plan will lead to 'mass migration', Tory minister warns
664 Comments
MPs worry that Labour scrapping Rwanda policy could attract illegal migration
118 Comments
‘Three-pronged' attack to stop the people smugglers
17 Comments
Rishi Sunak has made ‘zero progress' and is ‘miles behind in the polls'
59 Comments
Rishi Sunak plans to axe inheritance tax in huge giveaway before 2024 election
842 Comments
James Cleverly says Keir Starmer 'would let tens of thousands of illegal migrants' into UK
208 Comments
Brexiteer blasts Rishi Sunak over 'failed' policy as Brits foot ￡112 daily migrant bill
191 Comments
British passport holders must follow two conditions for EU travel - deadline revealed
74 Comments
Jeremy Hunt considering major tax changes to rescue Tory election hopes
175 Comments
Reform UK could be a bigger danger than the Tories realise, suggests polling expert
1178 Comments
Rwanda will tear Tories apart or force snap election, MPs warn
220 Comments
Ministers scale back proposed ￡38k wage threshold for family visas
200 Comments
Tories row back on ￡38k migrant family visa plan
Comments
Tory MPs warn Rishi Sunak's migration climbdown is 'sign of weakness'
102 Comments
Migrant arrivals may force ￡8million-a-day hotel bill to rise
972 Comments
Rishi Sunak defends visa clampdown delay after Tory criticism
38 Comments
Leftie lawyers attempt to block James Cleverly's masterplan to halt immigration surge
Comments
Asylum seekers stopped at airport ‘trying to leave Britain and go home for the holidays'
1849 Comments
Rishi Sunak 'in last chance saloon' warns Brexiteer MP as he fears election 'catastrophe'
50 Comments
Rishi Sunak orders secret emergency summit today to avoid Tory civil war over Rwanda Bill
79 Comments
Labour's alternative Rwanda plan will lead to 'mass migration', Tory minister warns
664 Comments
MPs worry that Labour scrapping Rwanda policy could attract illegal migration
118 Comments
‘Three-pronged' attack to stop the people smugglers
17 Comments
Rishi Sunak has made ‘zero progress' and is ‘miles behind in the polls'
59 Comments
Trending
The Government’s planned introduction of its wider immigration crackdown has also been slammed, after Home Office minister Tom Pursglove told the Commons the rules won’t be amended until next spring, with the “current salary and Minimum Income Requirement thresholds, and policies relating to dependants, [remaining] in place and at the current levels” until then.
A source close to Robert Jenrick said his main concern is now about the speed these plans are being brought in.
They said: “’The whole package needs to be implemented now, not long-grassed to the spring or watered down. More measures are needed, not less”.
Related articles 'Anybody but Biden!' No hope for a UK-US trade deal without changing President Tory MPs terrified Farage could try to make a comeback in February by-election Tory civil war sees Boris Johnson allies claim victory over embattled Sunak Von der Leyen humiliated as UK forced major EU climbdown in Brexit car victory EU abandons tariffs on UK Electric cars post-Brexit