The government says it is still planning to increase salary threshold to £38,700 but Tory backbenchers have called the move ‘deeply disappointing’
David Jones, deputy chair of the European Research Group, which represents hardline Brexiter MPs, has described the U-turn over family visas (see 9.30am) as “a sign of weakness”. He told PA Media:
The latest net migration figures very starkly showed the extent of the crisis we face. Increasing the threshold was absolutely necessary to address that crisis.
The government should have stuck to its guns. Yesterday’s decision was a regrettable sign of weakness, made worse by the fact that Parliament was not sitting and therefore was unable to interrogate ministers on the reasons for the decision.
