The government must rethink its settlement and citizenship reforms | Letter

Religious leaders, faith groups and charities urge Labour to ensure the proposals are fair and strengthen integration We write with grave concern about the government’s proposed changes to settlement and citizenship rules (Report, 5 March). We urge ministers to slow down and rethink their proposals, which contain serious flaws. Massive changes to rules that could shape the lives of more than a million people in the UK for the next 20 years or more should not be made in haste. There is already significant disquiet among communities, employers, faith groups and civil society that these measures would be damaging to integration. Stability, belonging and a clear pathway to citizenship are essential to building cohesive communities. Policies that make status more precarious and pathways more distant risk undermining that. It is reasonable for the government to consider settlement reforms. But their impact should be to strengthen integration and encourage contribution, not to make both harder to achieve. The government should pause, listen and revise these proposals so that they are fair, proportionate and consistent with the UK’s longstanding commitment to fairness and inclusion.Right R