LONDON, May 13 (Alliance News): UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday pledged to “finally take back control” of Britain’s borders as his Labour government unveiled a sweeping immigration overhaul aimed at curbing legal migration and countering the rise of hard-right politics.
In a significant policy shift, Starmer announced the end of what he described as an “experiment in open borders” under the previous Conservative government.
That era saw net migration peak at 906,000 in 2023—more than quadrupling the 2010s average.
The government’s new Immigration White Paper outlines proposals including cutting the number of overseas care workers, doubling the residency requirement for settlement and citizenship from five to ten years, tightening English language rules, and reducing post-study stay periods for international students.
Starmer, who once campaigned to remain in the European Union, invoked the 2016 pro-Brexit slogan as he insisted Labour would now “take back control” of the immigration system.
He emphasized that while migrants contribute positively to British society, “uncontrolled migration risks turning us into an island of strangers.”
The policy package also includes harsher deportation measures. Unlike the current law which only notifies the government when foreign nationals receive prison sentences, the new plan will flag all foreign offenders to authorities.
Interior Minister Yvette Cooper, presenting the reforms in parliament, said immigration needed to be “controlled and managed” to remain fair and effective. She vowed to cut 50,000 low-skilled worker visas this year and introduce new visa rules requiring skilled foreign workers to have a university degree.
Downing Street also indicated that high-skilled immigrants who “play by the rules” may be eligible for fast-track settlement under the proposed framework.
The move comes as Labour faces growing pressure from Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party, which made strong gains in recent local elections.
Starmer’s shift rightward, however, risks alienating left-leaning Labour supporters. MP Nadia Whittome publicly criticized the policy, accusing the government of echoing “far-right scaremongering.”
Care England, a leading social care charity, condemned the decision to halt new international care worker visas, calling it a “crushing blow” to a sector already under strain. “Taking it away now, with no warning, no funding and no alternative is not just short-sighted — it’s cruel,” said CEO Martin Green.
Starmer is also under mounting pressure to stop illegal Channel crossings, which saw over 36,800 migrants arrive last year. Separate legislation—the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill—is currently under debate in parliament to address irregular migration.
While Starmer declined to set a numerical target for reducing net migration, he said he expects significant decreases by the next general election, likely to be held in 2029.
