In the week Starmer launched his immigration crackdown, Mirror readers overwhelming said they want the Prime Minister to focus on the small boats crisis this summer
As Labour finally set out its long-awaited migration strategy and subsequent immigration crackdown, Mirror readers have overwhelmingly said that Keir Starmer’s priority this summer should be tackling the small boats crisis.
As the Prime Minister approaches his first anniversary in 10 Downing Street, we asked readers what his priority should be this summer? Out of 8,353 respondents to the poll, a massive 4,663 (56%) said they want the PM to focus on the small boats crisis.
The poll was released to readers only the day before the Prime Minister set out the details of Labour’s immigration white paper with his controversial ‘island of strangers’ speech. Mr Starmer has since faced backlash from campaigners over his ‘shameful’ rhetoric used in the speech.
According to the poll, readers’ second biggest concern this summer is rescuing the NHS, with 998 (12%) of respondents prioritising healthcare over other options available. This was closely followed by growing the economy, which received 9% (791) of the vote.
Meanwhile, 724 (9%) of readers selected the ‘other’ option, placing their priorities elsewhere, while 8% (630) said tackling poverty was most important to them. Just 196 (2%) wanted the PM to turn his attention to the climate emergency and environment – a topic which Labour had warned during the election was the “greatest long-term global challenge that we face”.
In a blow to the PM’s eye on events abroad, at the bottom of the poll, just 37 of respondents said they want Mr Starmer to focus on tensions abroad, while a mere 95 want the PM to prioritise Ukraine uncertainty.
Despite prison bosses’ warning that jails will completely run out of space in five months, only 66 of the people who took our poll said they want the government to focus on prison overcrowding. Finally, just 153 wanted Mr Starmer to pay further attention to local government funding following the Birmingham bin strikes. There’s still time to take the poll below. Results may change from those written above. If you can’t see the poll, click here.
What Mirror readers think from ‘stop the small boats’ to ‘without growing the economy, nothing else works’
In response to the poll, readers shared their comments. In support of focusing on the small boats crisis, carrycot4 said: “Stop the small boats, process the illegal immigrants already here and return those who are not suitable. Do that and we already save millions.”
Similarly, 13191049 claimed: “If the boats are stopped and people sent back – including those already here in hotels – there will be millions more money in the pot for the NHS”.
However, others took a different view. Chriskeene argued “Migrants are not the problem. The reason people in this country are getting poorer is because the rich are getting richer. Our problems are caused by the rich not by migrants, who in fact are vital to keep the NHS and social care functioning.”
Iron57 was one of the few to argue for growing the economy, saying: “What an absolute luxury it’d be to only have to deal with a single crisis, but without growing the economy, nothing else works.” While Vetchclock came out in support of the other option, “his first priority should be fighting fascism at home.”
What do you think? What should Keir Starmer’s priority be this summer? There’s still time to take our poll and have your say in the comments below.