Keir Starmer has been criticised for phrase that echoed Enoch Powell’s ‘strangers in their own country’ claim in Rivers of Blood speech.
One of the proposals in the immigration white paper that seems most inspired by the Conservative party is the proposal to double the amount of time immigrants have to wait until they can get earned settlement status, which can lead to citizenship. It will go up from five years to 10 years.
Here is a clip of his speech, he said: “‘We risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together.”
Sir Keir Starmer announces measures which he says will help control the number of immigrants coming into the country to live and work.
Then/Now
Well, it seems that wasn’t always the case, as this clip indicates.
Now: “Migration will fall.. but if we do need to take further steps.. to relieve pressure on housing & public services, mark my words we will”
Then: “Poor housing, poor public services, are not the fault of migrants, they’re political failure”
Zarah Sultana wrote: “The Prime Minister imitating Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech is sickening. That speech fuelled decades of racism and division. Echoing it today is a disgrace. It adds to anti-migrant rhetoric that puts lives at risk. Shame on you, Keir Starmer.”
Claudia Webbe wrote: “The Prime Minister evoking the language of ‘strangers..’ straight out of Enoch Powell’s playbook of hate, division and racism. Enoch Powell ‘they found themselves made strangers in their own country’ (1968) Keir Starmer ‘we risk becoming an island of strangers’ (2025) Shameful!”
“What Enoch Powell says today, the Tories say tomorrow, and Labour legislates on the day after.” – A. Sivanandan
Related: ‘Crushing blow:’ As Starmer tackles migration these arguments have been ignored
