The government has performed a partial climbdown on new visa rules critics claimed would tear couples and families apart.
The move was one of a raft of measures designed to slash the number of immigrants by 300,000 a year.
But ministers have postponed plans to allow only those earning £38,700 or above to bring their spouses to the UK.
Instead, the threshold will still rise sharply in the spring, but to a lower figure of £29,000.
The Liberal Democrats, who had dubbed the original plans the “family breakup bill”, accused the government of a “half thought through idea”.
But Rishi Sunak faced a backlash from Tory MPs who called the move “deeply disappointing”.
And a former Tory minister suggested No 10’s plans had been vetoed by the Treasury. Ex-health minister Lord Bethell said: “My children aren’t getting everything they asked for this [Christmas]. Seems it’s the same in Downing Street.”
The crackdown was part of plans to cut net migration after it soared to nearly three-quarters of a million in 2022.
Home Office minister Lord Sharpe of Epsom confirmed in answer to a written parliamentary question that the threshold would be raised in the spring to £29,000.
The current level is £18,600, which means 75 per cent of the UK’s workers meet the requirement.
If it was raised to £38,700 just 30 per cent would, Lord Sharpe also confirmed. No date was given for when the threshold would rise beyond £29,000.
James Cleverly, the home secretary, insisted the Home Office would still reduce net legal migration by 300,000 a year, saying the British people were “rightly, frustrated and want to see action”.
But Tory MP Jonathan Gullis said: “This decision is deeply disappointing and undermines our efforts [to control migration].”
Yvette Cooper MP, the shadow home secretary, said: “This is more evidence of Tory government chaos on immigration and the economy.
“On their watch, net migration has trebled as skills shortages have got worse and worse and they still have no proper plan to link the immigration system to training or workforce planning. They failed to consult anyone on their new proposals and took no account of the impact of steep spousal visa changes on families next year, so it’s no surprise they are now rowing back in a rush.”
Ms Cooper said the government should seek advice on detailed policy changes from the migration advisory committee – experts on both immigration and the labour market.
Lib Dem home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said: “You have to wonder who is in charge at the Home Office, or if anyone is. It was clear to everyone else that the raising of the earnings threshold was unworkable. This was yet another half thought through idea to placate the hardliners on their own back benches.
“James Cleverly needs to put down the spade and stop digging. Decisions like this should be made by experts and politicians working together. He should also publish the advice from the Treasury and OBR [Office for Budget Responsibility] about the impact that his package of changes will have on the economy.”
