Shabana Mahmood softens immigration plans in face of cabinet backlash

Exception for care workers will allow an estimated 280,000 people and their dependants to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years

Shabana Mahmood rowed back on her most hardline plans to make care workers wait 15 years for settlement in the UK, but told MPs on Monday that many migrants would still face retrospective rule changes to make them wait a decade.

Under pressure from a cabinet backlash and health unions, the home secretary has offered a carve-out for care workers to allow them to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years.