Tory Right Members Criticize Sunak for Backing Down on Family Visa Policy
Some members of the prime minister’s party are criticizing him for reversing plans to increase the minimum salary requirement to £38,700.
Right-wing Tory MPs are unhappy with the government’s decision to water down plans to raise the earnings threshold for Britons bringing family members to the UK, describing it as a “regrettable sign of weakness.”
On Thursday, the government quietly announced that the threshold would first be raised to £29,000 in the spring, and then increased in “incremental stages,” without outlining a specific timetable. This move has angered hardline Conservative MPs in favor of tighter immigration controls.
David Jones, deputy chairman of the right-wing European Research Group, called the decision a “regrettable sign of weakness,” exacerbated by the fact that Parliament was not sitting to interrogate ministers on the reasons for the decision.
Related Stories
Jonathan Gullis, a Conservative former minister, expressed disappointment in the decision, while Home Secretary James Cleverly had announced the planned significant increase from £18,600 to £38,700 in early December as part of a package of measures to curb legal migration.
However, the move was criticized for potentially separating families and causing uncertainty for many, forcing the government to reconsider the details of the policy.
The slowed-down implementation has also upset right-leaning Tories in the party, who believe that the earnings threshold should rise to £38,700 quickly for people to have certainty about their situation.
In a letter to MPs, Home Office minister Tom Pursglove said the changes would be introduced in a phased approach throughout early 2024, aiming to strike a balance between reducing net migration and giving affected individuals adequate time to prepare for the upcoming changes.
Opposition parties have criticized the government for chaos in the policy, suggesting that the planned £38,700 threshold was unworkable and urging the government to collaborate with experts in decision making.
