UK to make it harder for refugees to bring family members to country

Home secretary to announce overhaul of family reunion policy in attempt to quell fractious immigration debate

Ministers are planning to make it harder for refugees to bring family members to the UK as part of a package of measures that Yvette Cooper will announce on Monday as she looks to get a grip on the fractious debate over irregular migration.

The home secretary will tell MPs she plans to make a number of changes to the way asylum cases are treated, including to the family reunion policy, which officials believe is acting as a magnet for people crossing the Channel.