Senior minister refuses seven times to back key plank of Labour's immigration clampdown amid party row

A senior Cabinet minister and close ally of Andy Burnham today refused seven times to say she backs a key plank of Labour's planned immigration reforms. 

Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh repeatedly dodged questions about proposals by Shabana Mahmood to make people wait longer for permanent residency in Britain. 

Speculation has mounted that Home Secretary Ms Mahmood's proposal to extend the five-year wait by up to 10 years for foreign care workers could be watered down to avoid a Labour rebellion after criticism from senior MPs. 

Ms Fahnbulleh and Angela Rayner both criticised the plan earlier this year when they were on the backbenches, with the now Energy Secretary attacking any attempt to 'prolong the time people have to wait for settlement' in a now-deleted online post.

Asked today on Sky News if she now backed the policy, she repeatedly said that she backed the need for wider reform of the system.

But she would not say she backed the specific policy, eventually snapping at presenter Sophy Ridge: 'Don't put words in my mouth.'

In response to one of the questions she said: 'We have got to reform our immigration system. 

'My view is that we need a system that is based on the principle of compassion (and) contribution. 

'So there is a package of reforms, the Home Secretary has been consulting on this, she is looking at the range of responses and she will come out with the measures that we take forward. 

'The key thing I would say is that no one can look at our immigration system, and I say this as someone that came to this country as a refugee, and not believe it is broken and not believe that we need to fundamentally reform it.'

She also said: 'I support reforms that say that people have to contribute and make a contribution to this country in order to get citizenship,' and: 'I 100 per cent back Shabana Mahmood and everything she is trying to do,' but evaded multiple questions on the prospect of a 15-year wait.

A Government source pointed out that 'the minister clearly supported the policy and process' in her interviews, 'but while subject to review of the consultation, the final policy is not set – so ministers cannot offer opinions on specific parts of it'.

Ms Rayner on Tuesday sought to downplay reports of a Cabinet rift over Ms Mahmood's immigration plans, saying she was sure her colleague would 'land' on a policy that was fair to both taxpayers and migrants following a consultation.

A Government spokesman said: 'This Government has announced reforms that mean settlement must be earned and not automatic.

'We are currently considering responses to our consultation on elements of these reforms.'