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Starmer’s plans to curb net migration trigger right-vs-left rhetoric

13 May 202519 views0

Kier Starmer has unveiled steadfast policies to “significantly” curb net migration and “take back control of our borders”.

Speaking at a press conference head of the publication of a white paper on immigration, the PM said, “Nations depend on rules, fair rules. Sometimes they are written down, often they are not, but either way, they give shape to our values, guide us towards our rights, of course, but also our responsibilities, the obligations we owe to each other.”

The white paper, released by the Home Office, sets out a number of new measures, including:

Net migration to be reduced significantly, with political emphasis on reversing previous high levels, though no exact target is set.
Skilled visa eligibility tightened, raising the required qualification level to degree-level (RQF6), with limited exceptions for shortage roles.
Overseas recruitment for social care to end by 2028, potentially intensifying existing staffing pressures.
Stricter rules on student visas, including tougher compliance standards for institutions and a review of short-course visa routes.
English language requirements toughened for both applicants and their adult dependants, with mandatory progression over time.
Settlement (indefinite leave to remain) delayed, increasing the required residency from 5 to 10 years.
Expanded deportation powers, allowing removal for any criminal offence, not just sentences over 12 months.
Visa-related fees raised, including a 32% hike in the immigration skills charge for most employers.
Electronic identity system introduced, replacing biometric cards to better track and manage immigration data.

The PM went on to say, “In a diverse nation like ours, and I celebrate that, these rules become even more important. Without them, we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together.”

It is this final remark that has divided politicians, the public, and of course, the media.

Posting on X, Former Labour MP Zarah Sultana suggested that the PM echoed Enoch Powell’s Rivers of Blood speech with his remarks:

However, at the time of writing, Downing Street has since said that Keir Starmer “completely rejects” suggestions he echoed Enoch Powell.

The PM’s spokesperson said the PM “rejects those comparisons and absolutely stands behind the argument he was making that migrants make a massive contribution to our country, but migration needs to be controlled.”

When asked if Starmer agreed with what Powell said in 1968, namely that immigration made native Britons feel as if they had “found themselves made strangers in their own country”, the spokesperson said he did not accept the comparison.

The spokesperson went on to say, “The prime minister was using his own words to rightly recognise both the contribution that migrants have made over generations and to make the point that uncontrolled migration has been has been too high […] this government is not going to shy away from this issue. The public are rightly concerned about the impact that uncontrolled migration has had on the UK.”

In the media, left-leaning publications accused him of mirroring or weaponising right-wing language, while right-wing sources were more celebratory of the speech, or doubled-down on the argument that despite his best efforts to appeal to the right-leaning audience, his efforts on tackling immigration are still not good enough.

Starmer accused of echoing far right with ‘island of strangers’ speech

The Guardian

Panicking Starmer admits mass immigration risks making Britain an ‘island of strangers’ as he tries to head off Reform surge – but STILL won’t put a cap on numbers

Daily Mail