Keir Starmer has boldly vowed to reduce net migration by the end of this parliament, advocating for a “controlled, selective, and fair” system. Do you agree with his plans?
Amid Reform UK’s surge in the polls ramping up pressure on the government to tackle immigration, Keir Starmer has unveiled Labour’s long-awaited strategy – and we want to know what you think of his plans.
The Prime Minister has promised to reduce net migration by the end of this parliament, aiming for a system that he says will be “controlled, selective, and fair.” In a speech just before the government’s Immigration White Paper was released, he warned the UK risks becoming ‘an island of strangers’ and said the Labour Government would end the Tories’ “experiment” in open borders.
He said: “So when you have an immigration system that seems almost designed to permit abuse, that encourages some businesses to bring in lower-paid workers rather than invest in our young people, or simply one that is sold by politicians to the British people on an entirely false premise, then you are not championing growth.
“You are not championing justice or however else people defend the status quo. You’re actually contributing to the forces that are slowly pulling our country apart.” Do you support the PM’s crackdown on immigration? Take our poll below and if you can’t see it, click here
Labour’s plans include introducing measures to make it harder for people to permanently settle in the UK. Migrants will need to live in Britain for a decade before they can apply for citizenship – instead of the current five-year period.
What’s included in the immigration white paper?
The government’s white paper proposes several changes, including raising the threshold for the skills visa to require a degree and a higher salary, as well as closing the social care visa route to overseas recruitment.
Other proposed measures include:
- Increasing the English language requirements for both visa holders and their dependants
- Reducing the list of critical shortage occupations on the Temporary Shortage List
- Restricting dependants for lower-skilled workers on the Temporary Shortage List and raising salary thresholds for all visa holders seeking to bring dependants
- Shortening the time overseas students can stay from five years to 18 months after completing their studies, along with implementing stricter rules on student visas
- Extending the wait for migrants to obtain permanent settlement from five years to 10 years, unless they are deemed “high contributors.”
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The white paper suggests these measures could lead to a reduction in immigration to the UK by approximately 98k people annually. However, it remains unclear how the government plans to address the gaps in the domestic workforce that have been filled by foreign labour, especially in sectors like social care, which heavily depends on migrant workers.
Net migration surge
Net migration – the difference between the number of people moving into and out of a country – surged after the UK left the EU five years ago. It hit 906k in the year to June 2023, before dropping to 728k in mid-2024. However, that’s still significantly higher than its pre-Brexit peak of 329k in the year up to June 2015.
With Reform UK’s rise in the polls, the government is facing growing pressure to address both legal and illegal immigration. Today, Sir Keir made it clear that reducing migration is something he strongly supports, saying that parts of the economy “seem almost addicted to importing cheap labour” instead of investing in skills at home.
He added: “On a day like today, people who like politics will try to make this all about politics, about this or that strategy targeting these voters, responding to that party. No, I’m doing this because it is right, because it is fair, and because this is what I believe in.”
What do YOU think? Do you support PM’s crackdown on immigration? Take our poll above and expand on your feelings in the comments below