Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he “still believes” in the central message of his controversial immigration speech, despite expressing “deep regret” over using the phrase “island of strangers” that drew comparisons to Enoch Powell’s infamous “Rivers of Blood” address.
The Prime Minister told The Sun he “didn’t disavow” the policy arguments made in his May immigration speech, though he admitted not realising the phrase had echoes of Powell’s 1968 warning about immigration.
The controversy stems from Starmer’s 12 May speech launching the government’s Immigration White Paper, where he warned: “In a diverse nation like ours, and I celebrate that, these rules become even more important. Without them, we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together.”
The phrase sparked immediate backlash from Labour backbenchers and campaign groups. Zarah Sultana, the suspended Labour MP for Coventry South, said that echoing Powell “today is a disgrace. It adds to anti-migrant rhetoric that puts lives at risk.”
Powell’s 1968 speech had warned that immigration made British people feel they had “found themselves made strangers in their own country”, and is widely regarded as one of the most racist political speeches in modern British history.
In a weekend interview with The Observer, Starmer revealed he had not been in the “best state” to deliver the speech, coming after alleged arson attacks on properties he owned. “I wouldn’t have used those words if I had known they were, or even would be interpreted as an echo of Powell. I had no idea – and my speech-writers didn’t know either,” he said, adding: “I’ll give you the honest truth – I deeply regret using it.”
However, speaking to The Sun this week, the Prime Minister struck a different tone, standing by the substance of his immigration strategy. “Let me be clear, I didn’t disavow anything I said in the speech in terms of the policy, the determination, the intent, the understanding of the frustration and concerns that people have,” Starmer said.
“And I stand by every word of that. I did not realize it was taken from Enoch Powell. That was my concern about it.”
The Prime Minister defended his core argument, saying: “But the basic argument, which is, we must get control of immigration, the basic argument that we need a cohesive society, an integrated society, where we can walk towards the future together as one country, as neighbours and communities together. That does really matter to me.”
White Paper Proposals Draw Mixed Response
The Immigration White Paper unveiled alongside the speech includes sweeping reforms: migrants will need to spend up to ten years in the UK before applying for citizenship, double the current five-year requirement. English language tests will be toughened across all visa routes, with adult dependents also required to demonstrate basic understanding.
The care worker visa will be closed to new overseas recruits, a move ministers say could reduce visas by up to 50,000 this year. Skilled workers will now need a university-level degree to come to the UK, with salary thresholds also set to rise.
Government sources indicate the reforms aim to reduce net migration significantly from recent highs. Official figures showed net migration reached nearly 1 million in the year to June 2023, before falling to 728,000 for the year ending June 2024.
Labour MPs Lead Criticism
The backlash extended beyond Sultana’s comments. Veteran Labour MP Dianne Abbott branded the speech “fundamentally racist”, saying: “He talked about how he thought immigration has done incalculable damage to this green and pleasant land, which, of course, is nonsense – immigrants built this land.
Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome added: “To suggest that Britain risks becoming ‘an island of strangers’ because of immigration mimics the scaremongering of the far-right.” She warned the rhetoric was “shameful and dangerous.
Labour MP Sarah Owen, who chairs the Women and Equalities Committee, cautioned: “Chasing the tail of the right risks taking our country down a very dark path. The best way to avoid becoming an ‘island of strangers’ is investing in communities to thrive – not pitting people against each other.
Even London Mayor Sadiq Khan distanced himself from the comments, telling LBC’s James O’Brien he “wouldn’t have used” the same language as the PM.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, now sitting as an Independent MP, questioned why “the language of Enoch Powell was used by the prime minister” in introducing the White Paper.
Unions and Charities Join Condemnation
Trade unions expressed alarm at the proposals, particularly the closure of care worker visas. Unison and Unite put out statements warning the care sector was reliant on migrant labour.
Steve Smith, CEO of refugee charity Care4Calais, called Starmer’s language “dangerous”, warning: “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.
The charity called for Starmer to apologise for his remarks.
Political Fallout
The controversy appears to have emboldened Reform UK, with the anti-immigration party claiming credit for pushing Labour’s policy shift. Reform’s Richard Tice seized on the Immigration Plan as ‘our policy’, whilst party leader Nigel Farage called it a ‘knee jerk reaction to our success.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp dismissed Starmer’s tough stance on immigration as “a joke”, pointing to his past opposition to deportations. He called the failure to impose a cap on numbers “laughable”.
The row represents another U-turn for the Prime Minister, who is already earning a reputation as “Mr. U-Turn” for his inconsistent positions. It follows recent climbdowns on welfare reforms after facing potential rebellions from backbench MPs.
Expert Analysis
Political observers suggest Starmer’s rhetoric reflects an attempt to counter the electoral threat from Reform UK following Labour’s poor performance in recent local elections. However, critics argue this strategy risks legitimising far-right narratives whilst failing to win over Reform supporters.
Professor David Miller of Oxford University noted: “Starmer’s meaning was clearly different from Powell’s. And it would be a shame if that deflected attention away from the main purpose of his speech, which as I see it was to set the context for the accompanying White Paper on immigration policy, one of the most significant policy shifts in recent decades.
Migration minister Seema Malhotra defended the Prime Minister, dismissing suggestions that Sir Keir’s choice of language was anti-migrant when pressed on what the Prime Minister’s underlying message had been.
Looking Ahead
Despite the controversy, the government appears committed to implementing its immigration reforms. The White Paper proposals are expected to face significant parliamentary scrutiny, with potential rebellions from Labour backbenchers who view the measures as too harsh.
The political ramifications continue to unfold, with opinion polls suggesting Labour’s support has declined significantly since the general election. Whether Starmer’s attempt to appeal to voters concerned about immigration will succeed in stemming losses to Reform UK remains to be seen.
As the debate continues, the Prime Minister faces the challenge of maintaining party unity whilst pursuing policies that many in his own ranks view as a betrayal of Labour values.
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