Live – Last update at 09:46

Reaction to

Sir Keir Starmer’s

“island of strangers”

speech

has been “greatly exaggerated,” according to a high-ranking Cabinet member.

The prime minister

faced backlash

from members within his own political party following his address presenting the administration’s

new immigration measures

was

compared to inflammatory rhetoric

used by Enoch Powell in his “rivers of blood” speech.

In 1968, the address sparked an uproar filled with xenophobia against immigrants throughout the UK following a scenario described within it wherein the white populace in Britain would “find themselves as foreigners in their own land.”

“Frankly, I believe this has been greatly exaggerated,” Pat McFadden said during an interview with LBC on Wednesday.

When asked whether he would employ the term “island of strangers,” Mr. McFadden stated that it hinges on the specific situation.

Downing Street has said

Sir Keir “

completely rejects” suggestions he echoed

Enoch Powell

, and sticks to what he says.

The PM is likely to face questions over the inflammatory comments at Prime Minister’s Questions later today, with

Conservative

leader

Kemi Badenoch

saying Labour doesn’t think secure borders are important.

Key Points

  • McFadden: Backlash to Starmer’s ‘island of strangers’ speech ‘way overblown’
  • Immigration measures will fuel ‘exodus’ of migrant nurses, union warns
  • Starmer completely dismisses allegations that his comments on immigration mirrored those of Enoch Powell.
  • Starmer to face tough questions at PMQs today
  • Labour sounds ‘more like Reform than Reform’, says Reform MP

Minister defends UK decision to offer Trump second state visit after Carney criticism

09:46
,
Athena Stavrou


The Independent’s political correspondent



Millie Cooke



reports:

Cabinet minister Pat McFadden has defended the UK’s decision to offer Donald Trump a second state visit, after Canadian PM Mark Carney said the country was “not impressed”.

“Every country has to decide how it conducts its own relations with other countries”, the Labour MP told Sky News.

He added that the US relationship is “really important” but that “our relationship and friendship with Canada is really important too”.

Mr McFadden also said he is “completely relaxed” about Mr Carney’s comments, adding: “We’ve got free speech in the world. Prime Minister Carney is entitled to his view.”

“I’m glad that President Trump is coming on a state visit, and I’m particularly glad that we’ve conducted a trade deal that saves thousands of automotive jobs in this country and is a platform for future trade which can benefit the United Kingdom economically more in the future too”, he said.

Watch: Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemns King Charles for hosting Donald Trump during his official UK trip.

09:32

Canadian prime minister

Mark Carney

has criticized King Charles’ choice to extend an invitation

Donald Trump

A second official state trip to the UK.

The recently chosen Liberal leader stated in an interview that Canadians “weren’t convinced” by the decision.

Sky News

on Wednesday (14 May).


Keir Starmer

handed over the U.S. President’s invitation for a second state visit from the King during his meeting with him.

White House

earlier this year.

Mr. Carney stated: “To be honest, I believe they were not particularly impressed with that gesture, considering the circumstances. This occurred during a period when we were explicitly addressing concerns related to sovereignty.”

Watch the video here:


Mark Carney criticises King Charles over Trump UK state visit

Why has Sir Keir Starmer’s speech sparked so much criticism?

09:17

On Monday, the prime minister hosted an early morning Downing Street press conference to unveil the government’s new immigration measures.

But the divisive speech sparked furious backlash, with his own MPs joining

trade unions and charities in comparing

the language with that of the far right and Enoch Powell.

Critics have said Starmer’s warning that the UK could become an “island of strangers”, echoes

inflammatory rhetoric

used by Powell in his “rivers of blood” speech.

The 1968 speech whipped up a frenzy of anti-immigration hatred across the UK after it imagined a future where the white population in Britain “found themselves made strangers in their own country”.

Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill is a disaster waiting to happen – especially for disabled people

08:53

Following a hiatus from public life since last July, I was welcomed into the House of Lords yesterday. During my absence, Parliament has witnessed various developments.

Kim Leadbeater’s euthanasia legislation

This represents an effort to implement one of the most drastic—and, in my view, ill-advised—shifts in social policy that the UK has experienced in decades.

The legislation, which begins its reporting phase in the

The House of Commons will meet this coming Friday.

This could enable adults who have been given a terminal diagnosis with an expected lifespan of six months or fewer to end their lives through the National Health Service (NHS). Such a change would represent a significant transformation in both the function of healthcare services and societal perspectives regarding the value of human life.

The outcome would lead to the depreciation of life – implying that the lives of certain individuals with physical disabilities and vulnerabilities are deemed unworthy of being preserved or protected, cautions Lord.


Mark Harper.



Find the complete commentary article here:


The assisted dying bill proposed by Kim Leadbeater is a potential catastrophe awaiting occurrence.

McFadden says backlash to Starmer’s ‘isolated island’ speech is greatly exaggerated.

08:38
,
Athena Stavrou


The Independent’s political correspondent



Millie Cooke



reports:

A high-ranking cabinet member has stated that the criticism following Sir Keir Starmer’s contentious address on immigration has been excessively magnified.

It came after the prime minister’s

assert that the UK could turn into an “isolated nation”

As a consequence of migration, the comparison was made to the inflammatory language employed by Enoch Powell during his “Rivers of Blood” address.

The 1968 address sparked an outburst of anti-immigrant sentiment throughout the UK following its depiction of a future scenario wherein the white populace in Britain would “find themselves as foreigners in their own land.”

Cabinet Minister Pat McFadden, when questioned about using similar language as the Prime Minister, responded to LBC saying, “Frankly, I believe this issue has been exaggerated out of proportion.”

When asked if he would employ such language himself, he responded: “It varies depending on the situation. I could potentially do so since the Prime Minister’s point was that we require a society governed by rules. A society where people have duties and responsibilities is essential. And everyone agrees this is true.”

Reform MP suggests Labour seems “more like Reform than Reform,”

08:29
,
Athena Stavrou

Reform UK’s newest MP has said Labour is sounding “more like Reform than Reform”.

Sarah Pochin told Times Radio: “Reform have got them on the run. They know what the electorate want to hear.

They have witnessed the damaging effects of our policies reflected in the outcomes of these recent elections, and thus, yes, they are now adopting a reformist stance even more strongly than the Reform party itself.

She stated that Sir Keir Starmer’s immigration policies amounted to “a bit of bluster and some waffling.”

A UK cabinet minister has stated that both the UK and EU are not yet prepared to commit to a comprehensive free-trade agreement.

08:20
,
Athena Stavrou


The Independent’s political correspondent



Millie Cooke



reports:

A cabinet member has acknowledged that Britain and the European Union are not yet prepared to finalize a comprehensive trade agreement. However, they believe that the impending UK-EU summit scheduled for May 19 will help concentrate everyone’s attention on reaching an accord.

As Sir Keir Starmer’s administration seeks to forge a new path with the European Union following years of strained ties under various Tory leaders, there is increasing optimism about the possibility of securing a better trade agreement with the EU—especially after announcing a recent free trade pact with India.

When questioned about whether the UK would announce a comprehensive agreement with the EU during next week’s summit, Mr. McFadden informed Sky News, “That won’t happen just yet since we’re still in the process of negotiating. These matters tend to evolve continuously; however, the significance of the May 19 meeting sharpens everyone’s focus. This provides us with a clear target date for our efforts. In my opinion, having this timeline aids significantly in the negotiation process.”

I am optimistic about seeing enhancements to the Brexit agreement we reached a couple of years back—changes that will simplify things for British companies, ease the process for our exporters, and provide an economic uplift since that’s precisely what we require.

Minister supports UK choice to extend a second state visit to Trump following Carney’s critique

08:08
,
Athena Stavrou


The Independent’s political correspondent



Millie Cooke



reports:

Cabinet Minister Pat McFadden has supported the UK’s choice to extend another state visit invitation to Donald Trump following comments from Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, who stated his nation “was not amused.”

“The Labour MP stated to Sky News that every nation must determine how it manages its relationships with other nations.”

He added that the US relationship is “really important” but that “our relationship and friendship with Canada is really important too”.

Mr McFadden also said he is “completely relaxed” about Mr Carney’s comments, adding: “We’ve got free speech in the world. Prime Minister Carney is entitled to his view.”

“I’m glad that President Trump is coming on a state visit, and I’m particularly glad that we’ve conducted a trade deal that saves thousands of automotive jobs in this country and is a platform for future trade which can benefit the United Kingdom economically more in the future too”, he said.

12,000 civil service jobs to be moved out of London

08:05
,
Athena Stavrou

Thousands of civil service roles are set to be moved out of London.

The administration aims to relocate approximately 12,000 positions away from the capital and shut down 11 offices with the intention of cutting costs by around £94 million annually starting from 2032.

This relocation will involve officials being moved to Manchester and Aberdeen, where two new governmental hubs will be established.

Starmer’s immigration proposals aren’t merely unkind; they’re also detrimental to growth.

08:00

What conclusion should we draw from this?

Keir Starmer’s “sober, practical” changes

of migration rules?

Increasing difficulties for individuals seeking to enter this country for employment or education purposes might reduce immigration rates, yet it could also have adverse economic effects, according to experts.


Jonathan Portes.


Find the complete commentary article here:


Starmer’s immigration plans aren’t just mean-spirited, they’re anti-growth

Starmer to face tough questions at PMQs today

07:46
,
Athena Stavrou

Sir Keir Starmer is set to face tough questions during Prime Minister’s Questions later today.

The prime minister has faced backlash from all sides – including from members of his own party – this week.

After unveiling the government’s new immigration reforms, with

Conservative

leader

Kemi Badenoch

criticised Sir Keir and said Labour doesn’t believe in secure borders.

Union bosses and some Labour MPs have also criticised the prime minister for rhetoric used during his speech on Monday.

Starmer ‘completely rejects’ claims he echoed Enoch Powell in migration speech

07:42
,
Athena Stavrou

Sir Keir Starmer “entirely dismisses” claims that he mirrored Enoch Powell’s views during an important address on immigration, and remains steadfast in his statements, according to Number 10.

Sir Keir cautioned that the UK could turn into an “isolated nation of foreigners” without stricter immigration regulations. He made this statement during his address outlining strategies to reduce lawful migration into the country on Monday.

Critics, such as Labor Members of Parliament who do not hold government positions, have expressed worries over the choice of words. Some have drawn parallels to a comparable section from Mr. Powell’s well-known 1968 “rivers of blood” address.

“We totally dismiss that analogy,” he said to the journalists.

The Prime Minister dismisses those comparisons and firmly supports his stance that immigrants significantly contribute to our nation, though he also asserts that immigration must be regulated.

Immigration policies may trigger ‘mass departure’ of migrant nurses, union cautions

07:38
,
Athena Stavrou

A union leader has cautioned that thousands of foreign nurses are preparing to depart from the UK as government policies designed to reduce migration threaten to speed up this “mass departure.”

According to a survey conducted by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) involving 3,000 foreign-trained nurses, over two-fifths (42 percent) intend to depart from the UK.

Of those, 70% said this was down to pay, while 40% said immigration policies impacted their decision.

The report also found that of the nurses planning to leave, two thirds intend to move to a place that is not their home country.

Starmer accused of ‘hostile environment on steroids’ in immigration clampdown

07:35
,
Athena Stavrou

Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of creating a “hostile environment on steroids” as he continues to face backlash for language he used in speech unveiling new immigration measures.

A survey by the Royal College of Nursing of 3,000 migrant nurses found more than four in 10 (42%) internationally educated nurses are planning to leave the country.

Royal College of Nursing general secretary Professor Nicola Ranger, said: “Our report shows thousands of migrant nursing staff are ready to leave the UK. This situation is bad enough, but now the government’s cruel measures could do great damage to key services.”

She added: “Closing the care worker visa route and making migrant nursing staff wait longer to access vital benefits is the hostile environment on steroids.”