Campaigners in Leicester have vowed to fight new immigration rules which restrict access to the UK.

New regulations which came into effect yesterday mean only those who earn at least £18,600 will be able to bring in a spouse or partner from outside Europe.

The Leicester branch of the Indian Workers’ Association, (IWA), said it planned to mount a legal challenge to the reforms.

The Government said the move and a series of other immigration reforms would save hundreds of millions of pounds in benefits and health and education spending.

Sital Singh Gill, general secretary of the Leicester IWA, said: “The rules will make it difficult for family and dependants to obtain visas to come and visit relatives in the UK.

“Many British citizens will be treated as second class citizens in their own country and denied the basic right to live with their wives and husbands and children.”

Evington councillor Baljit Singh, who organised a meeting with Leicester East MP Keith Vaz on Saturday, said: “I totally support legislation aimed to prevent abuse of the rules, but in this case genuine cases may be affected.”

The group is to write to county MPs to urge them to support its plan to challenge the rule change in the courts.

The Government said the reforms would save an estimated £570 million in NHS costs in the next 10 years, with additional savings of £530 million in benefit claims.