Andy Burnham accused of 'handing the reins to backbenchers' amid Labour rebellion over migration reforms

Andy Burnham has been accused of "handing the reins of Government to the mad backbench Labour MPs" as the Downing Street hopeful faces pressure over the latest migration reforms.

Speaking to GB News, Reform UK Home Affairs Spokesperson Zia Yusuf hit out at the Makerfield MP and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood for "betraying principle".

Up to 1.6 million immigrants who arrived in Britain under the so-called 'Boris wave' could be granted indefinite leave to remain after just five years instead of 10.

This comes as Shabana Mahmood's plans to double the wait for settlement face growing pressure from Labour backbenchers, amid reports that Andy Burnham's stance on migration is fuelling attempts to water down the reforms.

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Taking aim at the Home Secretary, Mr Yusuf told GB News: "The Boris wave of immigration was one of the biggest acts of vandalism against the British people ever perpetrated by their own Government, and Shabana Mahmood sounded like she understood this.

"In fact, I think she does actually understand that this has the potential to bankrupt Britain. That's why, actually, she started expending some of her political capital inside the Labour Party and actually got some praise from the right wing of politics too, in this country, for doing so.

"But it turns out, I'm afraid she is actually simply a subversive career politician, willing to sell out her own people and her own country in the name of her own political ambition."

Challenging Mr Yusuf on his argument, host Emily Carver questioned whether the policies put forward by Ms Mahmood mean immigrants "won't have access to benefits for 10 years".

He disagreed, responding: "It's complete nonsense for two reasons. Number one, if you're actually looking at the lifetime cost of something, all that does is kick the can down the road. If you miss a couple of credit card payments, it doesn't mean your debt goes down. That would be the first point.

"The second point, it's absurd on its face because she's given no indication she's going to change the wait for citizenship. So once you've granted someone indefinite leave to remain, they only then have to wait about a year or so to get citizenship, at which point they get a full buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner on the welfare state anyway."

Mr Yusuf made clear that Reform UK is the "only party" that is "willing to reverse the Boris wave".

He said: "Aside from the cultural damage this has caused on our country, we're a country closing in on £3trillion of debt. We're about to get another round of excruciating tax rises on the British people. How on earth are the British people meant to be told they've got to fork out around about £20,000 per household?

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"This is Andy Burnham handing the reins of the Labour Party and of Government to the mad backbench Labour MPs, and Shabana Mahmood, I'm afraid, betraying her own principle."

Pressed by Emily on how Reform will reverse the Boris wave, Mr Yusuf told GB News he would "end indefinite leave to remain status" as it is a "scam to the British people".

He said: "Our expectation of immigrants is simple. Number one, we expect you to more than pay your way economically. Number two, we expect you to speak English, and number three, we do not expect you to commit crime.

"Now, I think that's a perfectly reasonable set of expectations, and yes, those who do not meet that criteria will not be allowed to stay in Britain."

Reacting to the Government's decision to proscribe the IRGC as a terrorist group, Mr Yusuf questioned why it took Labour "two years" to do it.

He argued: "Well, how on earth has it taken over two years for this Labour Government to do it? Why didn't the Tories do it all of those years ago?

"It's one of the most stunning and obviously ridiculous failures of British Government policy that it wasn't done. This is a terrorist arm of a brutal regime that has actually attacked British sovereign territory in recent months."

He concluded: "Our brilliant security services have successfully foiled multiple terrorist attacks by IRGC fighters, and credible reports, according to military intelligence, some of those attempted terrorists came across the English Channel in a small boat.

"So if they are serious about proscribing the IRGC and saying that they are terrorists, if there are ISIS fighters coming into Britain across the channel, what will they do?"

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