Starmer’s Immigration Overhaul Faces Criticism for Ignoring Illegal Asylum Crisis

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Title: Starmer’s Immigration Overhaul Faces Criticism for Ignoring Illegal Asylum Crisis

 

In a bold yet contentious speech, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned that Britain risks becoming an “island of strangers” if current immigration levels are not curbed. While the address marked a significant rhetorical shift from Labour’s historical stance on migration, critics argue that the proposals fall short—particularly in tackling illegal asylum seekers arriving via small boats.

 

Sir Keir’s remarks signaled a break from years of Labour orthodoxy, where concerns about the consequences of mass immigration were often sidestepped. Acknowledging the “incalculable” economic and societal damage caused by porous borders, he introduced a white paper aimed at reining in what he called unsustainable levels of legal immigration. With net migration figures currently nearing 700,000 annually, Starmer appears to be responding to growing public discontent—and political pressure following Labour’s recent losses to Reform UK, a party whose rise has been fueled by its hardline immigration stance.

 

Despite the tough rhetoric, Starmer’s policy proposals focus almost exclusively on legal migration. Among the new measures are plans to extend the residency requirement for settlement and citizenship from five years to ten, introduce tougher English language requirements, penalize employers who fail to prioritize British workers, and reduce the time foreign students can remain in the country. Universities may also face fees for enrolling overseas students.

 

One of the most striking proposals is the decision to end the recruitment of overseas care workers. In 2023 alone, 58,000 foreign nationals entered the UK on care visas—a significant share of the sector’s labor force. Under the new rules, care providers will be required to recruit from within the existing domestic population. While this could reduce migration numbers, it also risks causing major disruption to a sector that already suffers from chronic staff shortages.

 

The government also plans to restore a requirement that skilled visa holders be university graduates, reversing a policy introduced under Boris Johnson. The Home Office estimates that these combined changes could cut net migration by 100,000. Yet even this figure leaves the UK’s immigration levels far above pre-Brexit targets. The Office for National Statistics forecasts that net migration could remain as high as 525,000—a number equivalent to the population of Leeds.

 

While these steps mark a change in tone and policy for Labour, glaring omissions remain. Most notably, Starmer’s plan makes no mention of illegal migration. The government has yet to establish a promised returns agreement with European countries, leaving thousands of asylum seekers in limbo. Furthermore, there is still no replacement for the scrapped Rwanda scheme, nor a clear strategy to deal with legal challenges from the European Court of Human Rights, which has impeded deportations of foreign criminals.

 

Starmer’s acknowledgment that high levels of immigration may not offer the economic benefits once assumed reflects a shift in mainstream economic thought. He has also, to his credit, addressed the broader societal implications. However, to implement these changes, he must confront resistance from within his own party, where many remain wary of tougher immigration controls.

 

Calling past failures a “squalid chapter” in political history, the prime minister now faces the daunting task of proving he can deliver where others have not. Whether his proposals are enough to satisfy public demand—and whether he can find the political will to tackle illegal immigration head-on—will define the success of this new chapter in UK migration policy.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times  2025-05-14