14 May 2025, 07:26

By Nadhim Zahawi

Keir Starmer's sentiment is exactly right, but after burning Labour’s boats on the issue of immigration, he has made a rod for his own back.

If he doesn’t now reduce immigration by a very large margin before the next election, he has provably failed against a mission he has very publicly set himself. With a huge majority and plenty of time, there are no excuses and nowhere left to hide. The Conservatives and Reform will be waiting to pounce on such failure. It is one that could prove fatal.

What should he do, then, to deliver the kinds of decreases necessary? Here are a few ideas.

Firstly, acknowledge that the white paper set out will not achieve anything like the reduction he has talked about. To take one example, pushing Indefinite Leave to Remain to 10 years, not 5, is good, but the fact that it........

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