Luke.

@lukelovesamigrant

🌈 Queer Cymro in England. Married to a Canadian. 🌍 Mainly post about migrant rights, trans rights, rejoin EU and electoral reform. 💚 Green Party member. Views my own.

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Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· 22d

I feel physically sick. Anyway: join.greenparty.org.uk

A screenshot of the Guardian live UK politics feed, featuring a photograph of Shabana Mahmood, with the following headline: Shabana Mahmood to continue as home secretary. And text: Shabana Mahmood will remain in her role as home secretary, it has been confirmed.

Photo is accompanied by the caption: Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood (R) arrives for talks with new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, 20 July 2026. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Jun 19

If even Labour's most popular politician can't win back Reform voters, it could not be more obvious that Labour's approach of aping Reform has been an abject failure. Andy won in Makerfield by retaining the 2024 vote and consolidating the left bloc. Graphic from More in Common.

A graphic from More in Common. Title: There was very little movement between the left and right voting blocs in Makerfield since 2024. The graph shows that left/right bloc split was roughly even between the 2024 general election result in the constituency and the 2026 by-election.

Breakdown follows: 2024 General election result. In the left bloc: Labour got 45.2% of the vote, Lib Dems 6.8% and the Greens slightly less than Lib Dems. In the right bloc, Reform got 31.8%, Conservatives got 10.9%. 2026 by-election result. In the left bloc, Labour got 54.8% of the vote, with less than 1% for the Greens and Lib Dems. Reform got 34.5% of the vote, Restore got 6.8% and Conservatives got 2.2%.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Feb 23

This part of the article is key. It shows how Reform have been pushed to become even more extreme by Labour's own racist, classist and authoritarian policy decisions. Also, one of many cruelties of "earned settlement" is that it puts 1,000s more at risk of deportation if Reform wins.

An extract from the Guardian article. Text follows: Labour has also proposed changing ILR, with new conditions. The home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has said the party plans to increase the period of eligibility from five years to 10 years.

Yusuf will also propose a new approach to knife crime and policing, saying he would end any diversity initiatives in police forces and expand stop and search powers.

“I will take a zero-tolerance approach to Islamist extremism,” Yusuf will say, promising to overhaul Prevent and proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood organisation.

I've highlighted the section referring to Labour Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and the final words: "proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood organisation"

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Feb 16

Nudie bot said he was surprised I'm able to dress myself. For criticising Starmer. Blocked me when I pointed out the irony. But I keep the receipts for all to enjoy 💀

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Feb 6

💀💀💀 So embarrassed that I used to read Polly's column uncritically. This spineless PM: - Welcomed the SC judgment that led to rampant anti-trans discrimination and segregation. - Gave the "Island of Strangers" speech. - Punished MPs who voted to stop child poverty. Not a decent bone in his body.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Jan 5

Mike Tapp sent us a copy-paste response to our letter on planned ILR changes. We asked about specifics related to my partner's situation. He addressed none of them and gave no new info. Expected, but did anyone else get the same letter? 😅 (Our MP has written back to ask for a real response.)

An extract of a letter sent by Mike Tapp MP to an MP on behalf of Luke and his fiancé. Text follows:
The Immigration White Paper sets out the principle that settlement should be earned through contribution to the UK economy and society. Current criteria do not reflect this, and reforms will seek to reward those migrants demonstrating sustained work, strong English language skills, and community contribution before gaining settled status.
The standard qualifying period will move from five years to ten years. However, the earned settlement model will allow earlier settlement for those who meet contribution criteria such as continuous employment, National Insurance Contributions, and not having been in receipt of public funds.
Shorter pathways will remain for dependants of British citizens (five years), and safeguards will be retained for vulnerable groups, including victims of domestic abuse.
Some changes to the Immigration Rules, such as increased English language requirements for those coming to the UK, are planned to take effect from January 2026. Settlement reforms require public consultation and will not come into force until after the responses of that consultation are considered.
The Immigration White Paper included a commitment to consult on these changes by the end of this year. The changes involve significant reforms to the settlement pathway, and it is right that we consult to assess public support for such changes and their impacts on affected groups.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Dec 31

And finally, here's the extract of the government's consultation statement (p. 27) that my petition refers to. /6

An extract of the UK government consultation statement titled "A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: statement and accompanying consultation on earned settlement"

Text follows: Citizenship. The Immigration White Paper also stated that reforms to citizenship will be introduced, and that these would build on any changes made to settlement through the earned settlement approach. These would aim to reflect similar principles for extending qualifying periods, while allowing those who have made greater contributions to qualify sooner.

We recognise both that primary legislation will be required to make any changes to the British Nationality Act 1981 and that any recommendations should understandably await this consultation process for settlement and subsequent decisions on approaches to be taken. The processes for applicants to reach settlement and then move on to citizenship will need to work together and make sense, for both the applicant and the system.

The consultation, as well as an accessible version of the statement, is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/earned-settlement

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Dec 31

2. The current Labour government is considering removing certain benefits from ILR holders. This is set out on p. 25 of the consultation statement. You may think, well, you're fine if you don't claim benefits, but how would you feel settling and growing old somewhere you don't have a safety net? /3

A screenshot of page 25 of the UK Government Consultation Statement titled "A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: statement and accompanying consultation on earned settlement".

Text shown is as follows:
Settlement and public funds. In reforming settlement arrangements, the government wishes to address the concern that increasing volumes of settlement grants are not subject to restrictions on access to public funds.
This might be addressed by increasing the pathway to settlement for groups less likely to make a net fiscal contribution over the long-term – for example workers in lower wage occupations. We are therefore consulting on whether a contribution-based approach should mean that the existing pathway for settlement is increased (beyond the standard baseline of 10 years) for those admitted to the UK specifically to work in occupations skilled below RQF Level 6. This might involve increasing the baseline qualifying period to 15 years where the worker has been sponsored for a role skilled below RQF Level 6 (for example, under the Skilled Worker and Health and Care routes).
The consultation seeks views on whether the law should be changed so that it would be possible to make settlement subject to a “no recourse to public funds” condition. The government believes that the development of an earned settlement system should include a reassessment of the benefits accruing to settlement and where the accrual of those benefits might in future sit in the journey to settlement and citizenship respectively. Under this option, new migrants granted settlement would continue to be unable to access specified benefits in line with existing visa conditions. This would have the effect of shifting the default position on access to benefits to citizenship rather than settlement.

The last sentence has been highlighted by Luke.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Dec 9

@jamesbowes01.bsky.social just wanted to share this super helpful comment from Reddit that clarifies the current consensus on this issue. It seems I was missing a piece of the puzzle and this petition may not be needed after all. Still worth raising the issue while everything is in flux, though.

A post but user "rickyman20" on Reddit, r/SkilledWorkerVisa: Under the proposed rules, the 5 year deduction that you're referring to says it applies in the following situation (emphasis mine):

> Applicant **holds a permission as** the parent/partner/child of a British citizen and meets core family requirements

In other words, that wouldn't apply if you are a SWV holder that happens to be married to a British citizen, as your permission doesn't depend on the British citizen. This is consistent with the reports that they'll keep eligibility the same for people on family visas. There was no mention of keeping it the same for SWV holders that happen to be married to British citizens.

There is however, one saving grace. Today, switching to a partner visa from SWV will reset your ILR clock. This is the primary reason most SWV holders with a British spouse haven't switched to the family visa. However, the proposed rules say the following (again, emphasis mine):

> In order to meet the qualifying period requirement, the applicant will, as now, need to have spent the required period of time in the UK **in a route, or routes, that leads to settlement.**

This, to me, means that all years on any number of visas that lead to settlement count, even if you switch visas, as long as all the visas lead to settlement. In other words, you'll be able to switch from SWV to a family visa and get to ILR in 5 years instead of 10.

It's not explicitly said though, so I'd strongly encourage you to submit the consultation and explicitly state that this isn't clear and that it should be clarified. This is the kind of feedback that the government likely wants now. Submit it

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Dec 8

🥀 Labour claims that spouses of British citizens will be “fast-tracked” and shielded from its planned changes to its indefinite leave to remain (ILR). ❌ This is not true No one is being “fast-tracked”. And only direct relatives with a “permission” (i.e. family visa) are exempt.

A screenshot of page 22 of the UK Home Office consultation titled: "A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: statement and accompanying consultation on earned settlement".

The following text is highlighted as an "attribute" that permits an adjustment of "minus 5 years" from the new proposed 10-year baseline qualifying period:

"Applicant holds a permission as the parent/partner/child of a British citizen and meets core family requirements."

This point is not subject to consultation.

Note: I have highlighted the words "holds a permission" in my screenshot.

An accessible version of the consultation statement is available on the Home Office website: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/earned-settlement

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Dec 1

The Home Office added the following clarifying text following pressure from persistent plain language and migrant rights advocates (like me hehe 🙃)

The question quoted above with the added clarification text: "Agreeing means supporting no transitional arrangements; disagreeing means supporting transitional arrangements." "Agreeing" and "disagreeing" are in bold.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Nov 28

Here he is at work!

A yurukyara design of Luke sitting at his desk with a laptop and cup of tea. Luke has glasses and a more-on-top haircut. He's wearing a black jumper and jogging bottoms. The artwork is surrounded by a clockface (it's taken from an article on his daily routine as a freelance translator).

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Nov 28

Also, this yurukyara they made of me is so cute, I might actually use it as my Bluesky pic... Y'know what, I will.

A drawing of Luke in the yurukyara style. He has a more-on-top haircut and glasses, and wears an open cardigan, T-shirt and pendant necklace.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Nov 28

This time last year, I was asked about the new Labour government while being interviewed by a Japanese magazine. How wrong I was! (Apart from the bit on the US) Cringing at how I parroted the Guardian's "grown-ups in charge" line, but laughing at how I didn't like Streeting even then.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Nov 21

🚨 Just come across this terrifying paragraph in the immigration consultation. Further changes are coming. This time to citizenship, which, thanks to Labour's removal of ILR benefits and the rise of Reform, any migrant now needs to build a stable life. Let's hope this cabinet never makes it this far.

A screenshot of the Home Office Earned Settlement consultation with the following text: Citizenship
The Immigration White Paper also stated that reforms to citizenship will be introduced, and
that these would build on any changes made to settlement through the earned settlement
approach. These would aim to reflect similar principles for extending qualifying periods,
while allowing those who have made greater contributions to qualify sooner.
We recognise both that primary legislation will be required to make any changes to the
British Nationality Act 1981 and that any recommendations should understandably await
this consultation process for settlement and subsequent decisions on approaches to be
taken. The processes for applicants to reach settlement and then move on to citizenship
will need to work together and make sense, for both the applicant and the system.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Nov 21

Top tip so far is watch out for the double negative in this question. It took me a while to figure out it's asking you whether you agree with the statement: "I think migrants already in the UK should have the rules they came here on changed retroactively". Personally, I strongly disagree with that.

A Home Office consultation page showing the question:
"To what extent do you agree or disagree that there should not be a transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement?" With possible responses ranging from "Strongly Agree" to "Strongly disagree".

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Nov 20

Got this from the Home Office. In plain speak: You've already paid us to investigate whether your relationship is real. It is, but we won't say that it is, just so we can charge you again if your fiancé applies for a family visa (which he might have to because we're screwing over skilled workers) x

A letter from the Home Office with the following text highlighted:

The decision not to investigate whether your proposed marriage or civil partnership is a sham at this time, does not mean that we have decided the relationship on which it is based is genuine (missing full stop).

Therefore, if your marriage or civil partnership takes place, any decision taken on an application for permission to enter or stay in the UK that you (missing "or") your partner make on the basis of the marriage or civil partnership, will still involve an assessment of the genuineness of the relationship by the Home Office.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Aug 23

Anyway, I'm taking a break from fretting about my industry's bleak future/ongoing visa struggles/impending fascist doom, and getting to know the hummingbirds, loons, eagles and other wildlife around this beautiful lake in northern Ontario 🇨🇦 This is what it's really about!

A hummingbird buzzes around a feeder with pine trees and a lake in the background.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Jul 4

🧵 Our MP received a response from the Home Office to the letter she kindly wrote on our behalf. I've cut out the guff about "protecting British workers". These three paragraphs don't reveal anything new but the way they raised these points was interesting... (1)

Excerpt from a letter that reads:

Teachers applying under the Skilled Worker visa route do not need to meet the general salary threshold of £38,700 and are subject to a going rate requirement governed by national pay scales for teachers. This ensures visa holders are paid a fair salary in relation to other teachers in the UK and are not used to undercut settled workers. Our White Paper set out that we will ask the independent Migration Advisory Committee to undertake a thorough review of salary requirements (including discounts).

The White Paper set out that people will have the opportunity to reduce the qualifying
period for settlement based on contributions they have already made to the UK economy
and society. We will be consulting on the earned settlement and citizenship schemes later this year and will provide details of how the schemes will work after that, including any transitional arrangements for people already in the UK.

These are important changes and we recognise how important this is to people. We will listen to what people tell us in that consultation.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Jun 26

#4 (I won't do every date dw): Chase gave me a tour of his fave places in Swindon. Despite its reputation, Swindon will always be a special place for me, with gorgeous parks, cosy pubs and happy memories 🥰 This is walking along the old railway and canal to Wichelstowe. It's still my desktop bg! 🏞️

Luke wears glasses and a winter coat. He leans into Chase's shoulder. They both smile with woods in the background.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Jun 25

Date 3: Made Chase stand here for a pic ("This is where I came to cry during lockdown!") and he was too polite to say no even tho the water was rly fast & he was terrified 😅 I asked him to be my BF here (yes, on date 3🙃). Then I instantly bumped into someone and got to say "this is my boyfriend" 🥰

Chase, a tall white man with a beard, is standing on a stepping stone on the river Cole in Birmingham, smiling apprehensively.

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Jun 25

This is from date 2. Went up Cabot tower & he told me after he has a fear of heights 😅 Learnt at the top that Cabot tower is named for the guy who "discovered" Canada (obvs BS as people were already there) I tried to soft launch on Insta Close Friends with this. Accidentally shared with everyone 🤷‍♂️

Two men hold hands over arrows pointing to Canada and Cardiff at the top of Cabot tower

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Jun 17

Reason #4: If it becomes more difficult for schools to hire from abroad in the midst of a recruitment crisis, teachers across the UK will see their workloads and stress levels increase further, beyond current unsustainable levels. See graph from @neunion.bsky.social: neu.org.uk/press-releas...

Luke.@lukelovesamigrant· Jun 13

The current most popular petition on the UK Parliamentary petition website 🙄😤🤬 My own petition in support of migrants in the teaching profession is on a bit of a roll this morning. Imagine if we could drown out the hate for just a moment... Sign and share: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...