The Independent newspaper today carries an interesting perspective on the Government’s new immigration rules for spouses. The new rules, which came into effect on 9 July 2012, now require a UK spouse to show that they earn at least £18,600 per year before they can sponsor their foreign spouse to join them in the UK. The full article can be read here.

There is widespread opinion that the new rules are more than likely to be a breach of basic Human Rights and it will only be a matter of time before the UKBA is again hauled before the European Court of Human Rights to address this issue.

Don Flynn, director of the Migrants’ Rights Network said: “Being able to start a family in your own country should not be subject to the amount of money somebody earns; These measures create a two-tier system: those who are rich enough to live with whom they choose and those deemed to be too poor to live with somebody from abroad.”

Next week a group of cross-party MPs and peers will launch an inquiry, chaired by shadow Equality Minister Kate Green into the impact of the new family migration rules.