An escalating public dispute has erupted between Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and junior minister Mike Tapp after he declared he “won’t be intimidated” by calls for his removal.
Mahmood demanded on Thursday that Tapp be dismissed for publishing an unauthorised op‑ed in The Times, which advocated exempting overseas care workers from contentious immigration rule changes. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has not yet taken action against Tapp for the alleged breach of ministerial conduct.
Demonstrating a clear breakdown of internal discipline in the final days of Starmer’s leadership, Tapp used his X account to respond defiantly, posting: “Ok, morning all. It’s gone from ‘he broke the ministerial code’ to ‘he stole my idea’.”
He added: “I have put my views across on a policy I’ve been working on for months (I have the receipts) in an op‑ed in The Times. Give it a read, and let’s continue to discuss.”
Accompanying a photo of himself, Tapp wrote: “I won’t be intimidated to drop my views. Stay classy! Oh and I’m at a wedding in San Francisco, but happy to talk more when I’m back (I promise that’s the Golden Gate Bridge hidden by the fog).”
Downing Street has so far declined to sack Tapp, stating on Thursday that “no decision” had been made by the prime minister. Pressure mounted on Friday when another government official warned that it was “unwise” for junior ministers to publicly express policy positions in the manner Tapp had.
The dispute unfolds as senior Labour figures vie for senior roles in Andy Burnham’s prospective administration, which could assume power as early as 17 July.
In his Times piece, Tapp argued that migrant care workers should not face additional delays before applying for permanent settlement in the UK. Mahmood claimed she was unaware of the article, with a close source suggesting it was an attempt to secure a position in the upcoming administration.
It is understood that Tapp participated in ministerial discussions about exempting care workers from proposed changes to indefinite leave to remain, and is alleged to have presented an idea from those talks as his own in the op‑ed.
Justice Minister Jake Richards told Times Radio that the Home Office needed to “take a deep breath”. He said: “Mike’s article in The Times sets out what his views are and some of the issues that he in the Home Office is exploring. It’s not particularly wise in my mind for junior ministers to kind of set that out publicly. We are part of a team, but he has done that and we will deal with that as a government.”