"Ms Reeves was first up, saying she no longer stands by a pledge made last year not to raise taxes, blaming an uncertain world. That bombshell news was primed for detonation by the chancellor's insistence that there would be no further softening of her selfimposed fiscal rules. Last October she had changed them to enable higher investment spending. But the public, she was clear, should expect no such largesse this time round."
"Ms Mahmood, meanwhile, used her first speech to conference as home secretary to dramatically redraw the immigration compact. She proposed raising the threshold for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) from five years to 10. Controversially, she also said successful applicants would be required to have no criminal record, speak English to a high standard, be in work, receive no benefits, and give back to their community. Contribution, it seems, would determine settlement."
Labour leadership signalled a new governing philosophy prioritising fiscal restraint, stronger border controls, and expectations of public contribution. The chancellor insisted on no further softening of self-imposed fiscal rules after last October's change that allowed higher investment spending, and the public should expect no largesse. The home secretary proposed raising the threshold for indefinite leave to remain from five to ten years and imposing requirements of no criminal record, high English ability, employment, no benefits receipt, and community contribution. The approach aims to triangulate threats from the right and soft-left but risks alienating urban, university, and ethnic minority voters and blurring the party's moral line.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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