Andrea Egan addressing an anti-racism rally in March 2023. Then president of Unison, she has since become general secretary (Mark Kerrison/Alamy Live News)
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Exclusive: Unison general secretary Andrea Egan has accused Shabana Mahmood of putting up a “wall of silence” by refusing to meet with the union raising concerns over immigration reforms.
In a forthcoming interview with The House magazine, the head of Labour-affiliated Unison – the biggest trade union in Britain – also said Mahmood being “left in position” as Home Secretary was a “disappointment”.
Mahmood remained as Home Secretary when Andy Burnham succeeded Keir Starmer in No 10, disappointing some on the left of the Labour Party and trade unions which represent migrant workers affected by the proposed changes.
Egan said: “That was one of my disappointments – that Shabana Mahmood was left in position, simply because of her position on the migrant workers.
“As yet, there’s just a wall of silence at the moment. I think that’s absolutely unacceptable because they make these big announcements, and what they’ve got is these hundreds of thousands of workers who are just being left on a thread at the minute, wondering where their futures lie and what’s going to happen to them and their families.”
Asked whether there had been any engagement with Mahmood, the Unison general secretary replied: “Nothing. She’s not even answered requests for a meeting. I think that’s really disappointing.”
At the TUC Congress gathering of unions this week, the government was urged to rethink proposals critics say would drive away overseas workers needed in critical public service roles in the UK.
Under the changes, the standard wait to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) would increase from five to 10 years, while those on health and social care visas would face a 15-year wait before receiving settled status.
They would impact people already living in the UK but not those who have been granted settlement.
Only with ILR do those who have come to the UK gain the right to live, work and study indefinitely in the country.
Speaking as a backbencher earlier this year, Angela Rayner – who is now back in Cabinet – called the changes “un-British”. Burnham at the time said the party “would do well to listen to what Angela has to say”.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Last November, we set out reforms to double the standard qualifying period for settlement to 10 years for most migrants, with shorter routes for those who contribute the most to the UK.
“Under the proposals, key public service workers, including doctors and nurses, may settle after five years.
“A consultation on elements of those reforms has now closed, and we will set out our response in due course.”
Mahmood declined to comment.
Speaking to MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee about the reforms on Tuesday, the Home Secretary said: “We’re trying to strike the right balance between our responsibilities to people who have come here to work, our recognition of the failures we inherited as a government, and also our need to do right by the people who are already here, who pay for the systems that we all rely on.”