UK PM Announces Major Immigration Reform, Slammed For "Shameful Language"
In an announcement that may impact tens of thousands of people who aim to make the United Kingdom their home, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to significantly reduce the net migration in the country by the end of this parliament. This is the first major move in years to overhaul the immigration system in the UK.
Prime Minister Starmer, whose primary objective is to give impetus to growth amid economic stagnation, has debunked the theory that higher migration results in higher growth. "The theory that higher migration numbers leads to growth has been tested in the last four years," he said in response to a question on migration, adding that "That link doesn't hold on that evidence."
The prime minister went on to say that those who want to be British citizens will now have to live there twice as long to be granted one. Speaking about the new immigration policy, Prime Minister Starmer said, "The UK has underinvested in skills and growth. This white paper is not just a white paper on immigration, it is also a white paper that leads to skills and training."
He evaded a question on whether UK's net migration - Inflow of migrants to the UK minus outflow of migrants from the UK - would fall each year between now and the next general election, but confirmed that it would fall by the end of this parliament.
The silver lining for those wanting to migrate to the UK remains in the fact that Prime Minister Starmer has refused to put a cap on the total number of individuals who will be permitted to go to the UK.
In his opening remarks, the prime minister said that the intent behind curbing immigration in the UK was to prevent the country from becoming "an island of strangers". He said that his move must be seen as a "strategy absolutely essential to my plan for change, that will finally take back control of our borders, and close the book on a squalid chapter for our politics, our economy, and our country."
Touching upon the Brexit sentiment of "take back control", Mr Starmer said, "everyone knows what it meant on immigration".
Targeting the previous government he charged that "between 2019 and 2023, even as they were going round our country telling people with a straight face that they would get immigration down, net migration quadrupled."
Prime Minister Starmer has been accused of speaking right-wing party Reform UK's leader Nigel Farage's language at the press conference. Refugee charity Care4Calais has accused the prime minister of "fanning the fire of the far-right" over his "island of strangers" remark.
Demanding a public apology from the PM, Care4Calais CEO, Steve Smith said, "This is dangerous language for any prime minister to use. Has Starmer forgotten last year's far-right riots?"
"Shameful language like this will only inflame the fire of the far-right and risks further race riots that endanger survivors of horrors such as war, torture and modern slavery. Starmer must apologise," he added.
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Time of India
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