SIR Keir Starmer has branded Nigel Farage’s controversial migration plan as “racist” and “immoral” as he ramped up his attacks on Reform.
The Prime Minister lashed out as his own handling of borders came under fire and vowed to do “whatever it takes” to stop Channel crossings.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage[/caption]
Speaking on the first day of Labour conference in Liverpool, Sir Keir told the BBC: “It is one thing to say we are going to remove illegal migrants, people who have no right to be here. I’m up for that.
“It is a completely different thing to say we are going to reach in to people who are lawfully here and start removing them.
“They are our neighbours. They are people who work in our economy. They are part of who we are. It will rip this country apart.”
Pressed directly, he said: “Well, I do think that is a racist policy.
“I do think it’s immoral. It needs to be called out for what it is.”
But he stressed he was not calling Reform’s voters racist, instead blaming 14 years of Tory chaos for fuelling anger.
Mr Farage last week announced that Reform would abolish indefinite leave to remain – the main route to citizenship – and force hundreds of thousands of legal migrants to reapply for visas under strict new rules.
Those visas would carry high salary thresholds, no access to NHS services or benefits, and tough English tests, leaving many families at risk of deportation.
The PM’s attack came as a new poll suggested Mr Farage could sweep into Downing Street.
The survey of almost 20,000 people by think tank More in Common said Reform would win a staggering 373 seats if an election were held tomorrow – handing the Reform UK boss a Commons majority of 96, bigger than Boris Johnson’s 2019 landslide.
Labour would crash to just 90 seats – its worst result since 1931 – with most of the Cabinet, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, kicked out.
The Tories would slump to 41 MPs, pushed into fourth place behind the Lib Dems on 69.
With immigration topping voter concerns, the PM also faced questions over his own record.
He promised faster asylum decisions, an end to taxpayer-funded perks like taxis to GP appointments, and new digital ID cards to get a grip on illegal working.
He said: “We’ve got to process the claims… Where we process claims and people have found that they’ve got no right to be here, we’re returning them to the country more than ever before.”
And on plans to end the use of hotels to hold asylum seekers by 2029, he said: “I’d like to bring that forward.”
On the taxis scandal, he said: “It shouldn’t be happening. We will stop it immediately, well as soon as we can, but we will stop it. It’s not fair. I completely understand that, and it shouldn’t be happening.”
And when pressed on digital IDs, the PM doubled down: “I made a pledge that we would do whatever was necessary, pull, use whatever tools were available to deal with illegal migration. I intend to do so.”
