Keith Vaz, Labour MP and campaigner for immigrant rights

The BBC's Community Affairs Correspondent Reeta Chakrabati explains the planned changes Dur:2'29"

Government To Scrap "Racist" Immmigration Rule

The "primary purpose" rule has been controversial ever since it was introduced in 1980 by the Conservatives. Critics say the rule has placed an unfair burden on applicants by requiring them to prove a negtive - that is, that they are not trying to circumvent the system. They also say the rule disproportionately affects those who have arranged marriages.

A pressure group which has battled ceaselessly to overturn a controversial piece of British immigration law has praised the news that its campaign has succeeded.

"Labour's decision...is a symbolic step forward in ending racially discriminatory immigration rules which have profoundly affected Britain's ethnic minority communities," said Claude Moraes, head of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants.

The Labour MP Keith Vaz, a veteran campaigner for immigrant rights has also welcomed the proposed dropping of the law which barred anyone from settling in Britain deemed to be marrying a British citizen principally to win rights to settle here.

In its election manifesto Labour pledged to reform the immigration rules.

Although Downing Street would not comment on the details, it is believed that the Cabinet agreed that the primary purpose law must go at their meeting last Thursday.

Reform could take the form of switching the burden of proof on to an immigration officer to prove that a marriage was bogus before he can block entry.

The former Home Secretary Michael Howard condemned the change of policy on immigration and said it could harm race relations if the number of immigrants increased.

Michael Howard speaks out against the change

"Shifting the burden of proof is a huge difference. This is going to make it very very much more difficult to refuse entry to those who are primarily interested in using marriage as a means of living this country," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme.

Mr Howard said that about 2,000 immigration cases were refused a year because of the primary purpose rule. "Over and above that it acts as a substantial deterrent to people who might be tempted to try and gain entry into this country through this route if the primary purpose rule didn't exist," he said.

However Keith Vaz MP said that a "very strong" test would still be retained in terms of maintenance and accommodation. "But what we are going to have is a test that's fair, a test that does not discriminate against people by providing them with an absurd technical reason for refusing admission."