British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on September 24 called for a tougher stance on immigration, asserting that net migration is currently too high and needs to be more tightly managed.

In a speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Mr Starmer highlighted the importance of addressing public concerns, stressing that controlling migration was a legitimate and urgent issue for the country.

“I have always accepted that concerns about immigration are legitimate,” the prime minister said, making it clear that Labour’s policy is to reduce net migration and the UK’s reliance on foreign workers, while also arguing that more opportunities need to be created for the domestic workforce.

“So we’re going to be tough on that,” the British Prime Minister said. He also addressed the issue of illegal immigration, saying it had to be tackled responsibly. He acknowledged that part of tackling the problem would involve processing and granting asylum to some individuals.

According to the UK government website (GOV.UK), new measures to cut record high net migration have been announced including plans set out by the Home Office to link migration policy with wider skills and labour market policy, so that international recruitment is no longer the default option for employers, as well as confirmation from the government that changes made to the immigration system by the previous administration will remain in place.

As well as focusing on migration, Prime Minister Starmer has linked the issue to the wider housing challenge. He has called for more homes to be built, arguing that every community has a duty to contribute to making home ownership a viable goal for the next generation.

In his speech, the Downing Street chief was careful to distance his stance on immigration from the racial tensions that have flared in recent years, particularly following the riots that took place this summer.

He stressed that the debate on immigration is not about the value of migrants but about restoring control over the process.

Minh Duc (According to Anadolu, GOV.UK)