Sir Keir Starmer has committed to lowering net migration to the UK if Labour wins the upcoming general election. The Labour leader plans to introduce new laws to
train British workers to fill job market skill gaps and to enhance anti-exploitation regulations.
While he did not specify a timeframe or target figure, Starmer assured the public, "Mark my words, a future Labour government will bring down net migration."
The Conservatives, who have recently implemented measures to reduce arrivals to the UK, expressed skepticism. They stated, "No one believes Keir Starmer is serious about tackling immigration."
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper explained that Labour chose not to set a target because previous targets set by the Conservatives were missed, undermining the system's credibility. Speaking on BBC One's "Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg," Cooper noted that external factors, such as the pandemic and the UK's acceptance of Ukrainian refugees, could cause yearly variations in migration numbers.
Labour's goal is to implement significant economic changes to reduce reliance on foreign workers. Starmer emphasized, "If you trust me with the keys to No 10, I will make you this promise: I will control our borders and ensure British businesses prioritize hiring Brits first."
He added that training more UK workers would make the country less dependent on migration. Starmer criticized the Conservative Party for failing to keep their promises to reduce net migration, which was 685,000 last year according to the Office for National Statistics.
Earlier this year, the government introduced new laws to cut immigration, including raising the minimum salary requirement for some skilled work visas by nearly 50% and increasing the salary threshold for skilled workers to bring family dependents.
At that time, Cooper argued that the Conservatives were not implementing sufficient reforms to link immigration to training and fair pay, leading to continued reliance on work visas in many sectors due to skill shortages.
Starmer has previously labeled net migration levels as "shockingly high," and his new commitment appears aimed at appealing to traditional Conservative voters. Under Labour's proposed policy, employers who violate employment laws, such as paying below minimum wage, could be barred from hiring foreign workers.
The Conservative Party labeled Labour's new policy a "U-turn" on Starmer's principles. A spokesperson pointed out, "This is the man who called all immigration laws racist and voted against tougher border controls 139 times."
Alison Thewliss of the SNP criticized both Starmer and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for blaming migrants for various issues. She stated, "Instead of coming forward with policies based on Scotland’s needs, Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak are both amping up the far-right belief that migrants are to blame for all of our problems."
A Liberal Democrats spokesperson commented, "It’s clear the Conservatives have failed on immigration and broken every promise they’ve ever made." Photo by The Crown Prosecution Service, Wikimedia commons.