From the magazine

The left is finally accepting immigration control

The Spectator
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EXPLORE THE ISSUE 17 May 2025
issue 17 May 2025

When it comes to immigration, Keir Starmer has been ‘on a journey’. As a young barrister, he authored a review in which he argued that all immigration law was ‘racist’. As a new Labour backbencher, he called legislation to make renting to illegal immigrants a criminal offence ‘everyday racism’. While running for his party’s leadership, he demanded an ‘immigration system based on compassion and dignity’, pledged to ‘defend free movement’ and backed a letter objecting to the deportation of 50 Jamaican criminals, including burglars and rapists.

The white paper explicitly rejects the reigning Whitehall orthodoxy that immigration brings growth

Unveiling the government’s...

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