In a significant shift in rhetoric and policy direction, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently pledged a major overhaul of the nation’s immigration system after new data revealed that net migration to the UK had reached a record high of 906,000 in 2023. Starmer’s comments, delivered in a speech on Thursday, represent a turning point in Labour’s approach to immigration—particularly in the wake of soaring migration figures that have become a key political issue.
While Starmer attempted to blame the previous Conservative government for what he called “a one-nation experiment in open borders,” he abandoned his party in a significant admission: Starmer explicitly acknowledged that the mass migration to the UK was not the result of mismanagement or unforeseen circumstances, but rather, it was “by design.”
“This is a different order of failure,” Starmer said. “It isn’t just bad luck. It isn’t a global trend or taking your eye off the ball. This happened by design, not accident.”
It marks a rare moment of transparency on the issue of immigration, which has been a deeply polarizing topic in the UK for years. By acknowledging that immigration policies were intentionally liberalized—especially post-Brexit—Starmer is signaling that he will finally make attempts to address the growing public concerns around border control and migration, as well as the the social and economic impacts fall out.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently revealed that net migration to the UK reached a record high of 906,000 in the year to June 2023, a number 166,000 higher than previous estimates. This surge in arrivals has been largely attributed to the post-Brexit migration system, which gave priority to skilled workers, but also opened the door for a significant number of international students and their families, as well as asylum seekers and other forms of migration.
Migration was a central issue during the 2024 general election, with many voters defecting from the Conservative Party to the anti-immigration Reform UK party, which capitalized on the Tories’ failure to reduce immigration numbers. The public perception that both major parties were unable or unwilling to address the issue has left a vacuum for forces further to the right to gain traction.
As part of his pledge to take “back control” of Britain’s borders, Starmer outlined plans for an overhaul of the UK’s immigration system, particularly the points-based immigration system that was introduced by the Conservative government in 2021 after Brexit. Under this system, immigrants are granted visas based on a points system that rewards applicants with skills, qualifications, and a job offer. However, Starmer believes this system has contributed to the over-reliance on immigration, which he argues has left Britain’s economy “hopelessly reliant” on foreign workers.
Starmer’s plan includes a focus on “cracking down on abuse of the visa routes” to prevent businesses from exploiting the system. He also signaled that companies failing to comply with the new regulations would be banned from hiring overseas labor. This policy change is likely to be met with resistance from businesses in industries with a high numbers of migrant workers, such as construction, agriculture, and hospitality.
The UK seems to be having a specific radical ethnic invader problem.
Sanctuary cities are bad enough, but a Sanctuary country?
Enjoying those Jaguar commercials?
LOL
The irony there is VERY funny.
I am betting that homelessness of Citizens and crime rose on the same curve as immigration.
So he states the immigration policy was by design? Who were the designers and what was their agenda. It looks like the same design was used in many many nations of the world, look at the US, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, and on and on. So the big question is who were the designers because it looks like they were working with politicians in many countries too, Take a minute and think about that and who is behind it…WEF ???