'There isn't a split story': Angela Rayner denies row with Home Secretary over Labour's visa reforms
Ms Rayner said she was fully supportive of Shabana Mahmood and said she had already made her views public
Angela Rayner has played down reports of a row with the Home Secretary's immigration reform proposals, insisting there "isn't a split story there".
Listen to this article
Ms Rayner told LBC that she was fully behind Shabana Mahmood after she said this week the plans to make it harder for migrant workers to claim settlement were unfair.
But speaking at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, the Housing Secretary defended her colleague's record on reducing channel crossings and agreed with calls for a "fair system".
Ms Rayner told Sunday with Lewis Goodall: "Shabana was at the Home Affairs Select Committee.
"She started a consultation on the transitional arrangements, and I've been on the record as part of that consultation on what my views are.
Read more: Burnham and Healey hint at 'challenging' choices ahead, as Labour conference begins
Want LBC stories before everyone else? Set us as your Preferred Source on Google
Read more: More than 500 anti-money laundering cops to be rolled out as Mahmood takes aim at dirty money
"Shabana last week said we need a fair system. I completely agree with her on that, so there isn't a split story there."
Unveiled last year, Ms Mahmood's proposals would extend the wait time for migrants seeking to qualify for permanent residency from five to ten years.
Foreign workers on health and social care visas would be forced to wait for 15 years.
Ms Rayner added: "I would also point people to Shabana's record as Home Secretary. We've had previous governments who have failed to get to grips with illegal migration and failed to get to grips with the boat crossings.
"We've seen 48,000 boat crossings that have been prevented with the new deal that Shabana got with the French.
"Net migration has fallen by 82%, and it's a six-year low on boat crossings. That's Shabana's record, so I fully support her in what she's trying to achieve."
Ms Rayner's comments come after she previously said she was concerned about moving the goalposts "years down the line" for those who arrived in the UK at the start of the decade expecting to qualify within the existing timeframe.
The former deputy Prime Minister also reiterated the government's plans to ease Britain's housing crisis, stating she accepts the target to build 300,000 homes per year to 2029 has "put a target on her back".
She said: "People have said to me in the past, Angie, why have you put a target on your back?
"Because this is a really difficult target, and that was before we had the situation with the war in the Middle East, which has created additional pressures in terms of cost.
"But I think we can make that target, and I'm not about to bin that target off, because I think it's really important."
Andy Burnham is set to introduce a new help-to-buy scheme called "Your first home", designed to give first-time buyers who can't rely on the "bank of mum and dad".
The programme aims to help buyers in England who have a regular income but have been unable to save for a large deposit or don’t have financial support from their family.
It is understood they will get a 20% equity loan to help them buy a new-build home. There will be an initial interest free period and a requirement of a minimum deposit of just 2.5%.
Full details of the scheme will be set out at the Budget on October 28 by the Chancellor John Healey.