MORE than 50 MPs, 21 peers, 33 civil society organisations and new Unison general secretary Andrea Egan warned the government today against “chasing Nigel Farage’s tail” with ministers’ “un-British” settlement policies for migrant workers.

In a letter to the Home Office, they attacked new plans for Britain’s settlement scheme as contrary to promises made by Labour on “economic growth, reducing child poverty and strong public services.”

Proposed changes to the current five-year wait for indefinite leave to remain, announced last year, will bring the default delay to 10 years and for anyone working in “below graduate-level jobs” to 15 years.

Although there will be exceptions for certain visa holders, many workers in the care and health sectors will also be hit.

The letter calls on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his Cabinet to defend “decent, hard-working” migrant workers, who are often in challenging jobs with “difficult conditions” and “low pay.”

Its signatories demanded that the government halt the consultation process on the settlement proposals until a full impact assessment has been published and to rule out retrospective application if the plans become law.

The letter was co-authored by Ms Egan, Work Rights Centre chief executive Dr Dora-Olivia Vicol and Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan.

Other signatories include MPs Diane Abbott, Shockat Adam, Richard Burgon, Jeremy Corbyn, Kim Johnson, Zarah Sultana and Jon Trickett, as well as the peers and many civil society and human rights organisations.

Mr Duncan-Jordan accused the Labour government of having “lost its way when making policy designed to chase Nigel Farage’s tail instead of doing what’s best for the country.”

He warned against policies which go after migrant workers, calling for the “sweeping changes” to be paused “until we’ve had a proper assessment of the damage they’ll do to public services — and to people’s lives.”

The Poole MP called for any possible change not to be applied retroactively to those already on the path to settlement.

“The British public believe in fair play: if you do your bit and work hard, the rug shouldn’t be pulled out from under you,” he said.

Ms Egan added: “The Home Office consultation refers to overseas social care staff as ‘low waged and low skilled.’

“The country should be thanking these workers, not insulting them. The care sector can’t be built on exploited, dehumanised workers.”

She also demanded that ministers “immediately and properly” investigate the effects of any changes to settlement rights.