1 week ago No 10 defends Starmer’s language on immigration likened to Enoch Powell speech

Downing Street says it is wrong to compare PM’s warning about ‘island of strangers’ to 1968 ‘rivers of blood’ speechDowning Street has robustly defended Keir Starmer’s language on immigration, which has been likened to that used by Enoch Powell, rejecting the direct comparison but saying the prime minister would not “shy away” from direct talk about the subject.A series of MPs criticised Starmer for his rhetoric when introducing a new policy paper on immigration on Monday, particularly his warning that the UK risked becoming “an island of strangers”, a near-direct echo of language used by Powell in his infamous 1968 “rivers of blood” speech. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Starmer defends plans to curb net migration after backlash from MPs

Prime minister’s ‘island of strangers’ speech was likened to rhetoric of Enoch PowellKeir Starmer has defended his plans to curb net migration after an angry backlash from MPs, businesses and industry to a speech in which he said the UK risked becoming an “island of strangers” without tough new policies.The rhetoric was likened by some critics to the language of Enoch Powell, and the prime minister was accused of pandering to the populist right by insisting he intended to “take back control of our borders” and end a “squalid chapter” of rising inward migration. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Starmer accused of echoing far right with ‘island of strangers’ speech

Prime minister’s immigration speech was likened by MPs to rhetoric of Enoch PowellKeir Starmer has defended his plans to curb net migration after an angry backlash from MPs, businesses and industry to a speech in which he said the UK risked becoming an “island of strangers” without tough new policies.The rhetoric was likened by some critics to the language of Enoch Powell, and the prime minister was accused of pandering to the populist right by insisting he intended to “take back control of our borders” and end a “squalid chapter” of rising inward migration. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Starmer rejects Welsh leader’s call to ‘rethink’ winter fuel policy

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said ‘we had to stabilise the economy’ as he defended the actions taken by his Government.

Politics

3 w. ago Keir Starmer defends ‘tough decisions’ as local election results roll in

Reform UK’s Sarah Pochin beat Sir Keir Starmer’s candidate Karen Shore by six votes in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election.

Politics

3 w. ago Labour clings onto 'safe' mayoralty by a whisker from Reform as first results roll in from potentially seismic elections

In one of the first major shocks of the night, Labour's Karen Clark won the race to be mayor of North Tyneside, which has been held by the party since its inception in 2002, by just 444 votes.

Politics