By Sama Marwan,
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that the United Kingdom risks becoming “an island of strangers” without stricter controls on who enters the country. His remarks came as he unveiled a set of policies aimed at drastically reducing net migration.
The Prime Minister emphasized that his government would “regain control of our borders” and turn the page on what he described as a “dirty chapter” of soaring immigration, which he claimed has caused countless political and economic harms to the UK.
Net migration — the difference between the number of people entering the UK and those leaving — stood at 728,000 in the 12 months ending in June 2024. Under the previous Conservative government, that number had surged to over 900,000.
Speaking at a press conference at 10 Downing Street, Starmer said he wants immigration levels to drop significantly by the end of this parliament, without specifying a numerical target.
He stated:
“Nations depend on rules — fair rules. Sometimes they’re written, often they’re not. But in both cases, they shape our values, guiding us toward our rights, of course — but also toward our responsibilities, and the duties we owe one another.”
He added:
“In a diverse nation such as ours — and I celebrate that — these rules become even more essential. Without them, we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation moving forward together.”
As part of the new measures, adult dependents accompanying foreign workers to the UK will be required to pass an English language test, and care homes will be banned from hiring staff from abroad.
The government will also end the automatic right of foreign workers to apply for permanent residency in the UK after five years, extending the waiting period to ten years.
