Starmer pledges sharp fall in net migration by 2029

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer on Monday said net migration to Britain would drop significantly by the end of this parliament in 2029, promising greater control to support social cohesion and boost local workforce investment.

Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, Starmer said countries need rules to define rights, responsibilities and obligations, and warned that without them, Britain risked "becoming an island of strangers".

Although he did not give a specific target, Starmer said migration would fall sharply under his government’s new plan.

"That's a promise, but I want to be very clear on this, if we do need to take further steps, if we do need to do more to release pressure on housing and our public services, then mark my words, we will," he said.

The government announced several measures on Monday, including restricting skilled worker visas to graduate-level roles, preventing care sector firms from hiring from abroad, and requiring businesses to train more local workers.

It also plans to raise the residency requirement for settlement and citizenship from five to ten years, though highly skilled workers such as nurses, doctors, engineers and AI experts would be eligible for fast-tracking.

All adult dependents will now be required to demonstrate a basic understanding of English, a change the government said would help integration and reduce the risk of exploitation.

Migration has been a major political issue in Britain for years. Critics say rising numbers can strain housing and public services, while many businesses argue they face staff shortages and need access to overseas workers.

The number of EU migrants fell after Brexit, but overall numbers rose due to new visa rules, a higher intake of foreign students, and arrivals from Ukraine and Hong Kong.

Net migration reached a record 906,000 in the year to June 2023. In 2019, before Britain left the EU, the figure was 184,000.

Neil Carberry, chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), said Starmer's announcement would cause concern for employers.

Responding to business worries, Starmer said high immigration had not been linked with economic growth in recent years. "So that link doesn't hold on that evidence," he said.

Conservative response to Starmer’s speech

Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: “Keir Starmer has no credibility on this issue. This is the man who once described immigration laws as racist and wrote letters protesting at the deportation of foreign criminals.

“Starmer has tried to claim credit for the reduction in legal immigration since the election - which resulted from Conservative policies.

“Meanwhile, because Keir Starmer cancelled the Rwanda deterrent last July before it even started, this year so far has been the worst in history for illegal immigrants crossing the channel.

“Yvette Cooper admitted yesterday that their new policies would only reduce immigration by 50,000. That is not enough. The public rightly want the days of mass immigration to end. That’s why later today we will force a vote on creating a binding annual cap on immigration to be set by Parliament. If Labour were actually serious about slashing migration, they will support the immigration cap at this evening’s vote.”

(With inputs from agencies)