UK politics live: Starmer accused of ‘hostile environment on steroids’ in immigration clampdown

The backlash to Sir Keir Starmer’s speech on immigration has been “way overblown”, a senior Cabinet minister has said, after suggestions that the Prime Minister echoed Enoch Powell.

“Honestly, I think this has been way overblown,” Pat McFadden told LBC.

Asked if he would use the phrase “island of strangers”, Mr McFadden said it depends on the context.

“It depends on the context. I mean, I might, because what the Prime Minister was talking about was, we need a society with rules. We need a society with responsibilities and obligations.”

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’ve seen the devastating impact of our policies on their results in these latest set of elections, and so now, yes, they’re sounding more like Reform than Reform are.”

However, she said Sir Keir Starmer’s immigration policies were “just a bit of bluster, a bit of waffle”.

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Britain and the European Union are “not yet” ready to agree a fully formed trade deal, a Cabinet minister has admitted, but argued the upcoming UK-EU summit taking place on May 19 “focuses minds”.

As Sir Keir Starmer’s government attempts to pursue a “reset” with the bloc after years of tense relations under successive Conservative prime ministers, there are growing hopes the UK could secure an improved trading relationship with the bloc – after unveiling a free trade deal with India earlier this month.

But asked whether the UK will be be announcing a “fully-fledged” deal with the EU at next week’s summit, Mr McFadden told Sky News: “Not yet, because we’re still working on it. And I think you know, all these things are are ongoing, but the May 19 meeting focuses minds. It gives us a gives us a deadline to work to. I think that helps in these negotiations.

“So I’m hoping that we’ll see improvements to the Brexit deal we negotiated a few years ago – that make life a bit easier for British businesses, that make life a bit easier for our exporters, and that give us an economic boost, because that’s what we need.”

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.

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

The government is looking to move 12,000 jobs out of the capital and close 11 offices in a bid to save £94mn a year by 2032.

The move will see officials be relocated to Manchester and Aberden, where two new government campuses will be opened.

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.

Sir Keir Starmer “completely rejects” suggestions he echoed Enoch Powell in a major speech on immigration, and stands by his words, Downing Street has said.

Sir Keir warned the UK risked becoming an “island of strangers” if migration controls were not tightened, in the speech setting out plans to crack down on legal migration into the UK on Monday.

Critics, including backbench Labour MPs, have raised concerns about the language, with some comparing it to a similar passage from Mr Powell’s infamous 1968 “rivers of blood” speech.

“We completely reject that comparison,” he told reporters.

“The Prime Minister rejects those comparisons and absolutely stands behind the argument he was making that migrants make a massive contribution to our country, but migration needs to be controlled.”

Thousands of migrant nursing staff are ready to leave the UK, with new Government measures aimed at curbing immigration set to accelerate the “exodus”, a union boss has warned.

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

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.

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.”