The energy minister has insisted she backs Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s immigration reforms after she made what she described as a “light-hearted remark”.
Miatta Fahnbulleh was repeatedly asked in an interview on Wednesday whether she supported the government’s plans to increase the time it takes for migrants to gain permanent UK residency, but refused to.
Referring to that exchange, she joked to reporters on Thursday that she did not explicitly answer the question because she had told herself she would “never lie”.
In a later statement, she said: “Today I made what was meant to be a light-hearted self-deprecating remark. I didn’t get it right and it hasn’t come off as I intended.”
She added: “I fully support our home secretary and the government’s position on migration reform.”
Permanent residence, or indefinite leave to remain, gives a person the right to live, work and study in the UK for as long as they like and apply for benefits if they are eligible.
The government wants to double the time it takes most migrant workers to qualify for permanent residence from five years to 10 years, while in the case of refugees it could take 20 years.
Mahmood told Labour Party conference in September the government would “come to a position that balances fairness for those who came here legally and fairness to British citizens across this country”.
But a significant number of Labour MPs and trade unions want her to water down the proposed policy.
Downing Street has repeatedly insisted that Mahmood is considering responses to a consultation exercise before finalising the reforms.
On Wednesday, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The home secretary is leading a thorough piece of work to make sure we get this right.”
Asked earlier on the same day on Sky News, whether she backed the proposed reforms, Fahnbulleh said: “We have got to reform our immigration system, and my view is that we need a system that is based on the principle of compassion, contribution.”
She was pressed several more times on the issue, saying the government was consulting on the proposals and would “will come out with the measures that we take forward”.
At a lunch with political reporters on Thursday, Fahnbulleh said: “I made three promises to myself when I came into politics. The first was never lie, which has created some awkward moments including being interviewed by Sophy Ridge [on Sky] yesterday, but nevermind.”
In her later statement, she said this was a joke and suggested it was not intended to show she did not support Mahmood’s reforms.
“As I said earlier this week, it’s absolutely right that people should have to make a contribution to this country in order to earn citizenship,” Fahnbulleh said.
It comes after another Cabinet minister, Angela Rayner, criticised the proposed changes ahead of Labour’s conference in Liverpool.
Rayner warned about shifting “the goalposts years down the line” for people who arrived in the UK at the beginning of this decade, expecting to secure permanent residence under the current rules.
She later denied there was a split within the heart of government over the issue.