Over the past few weeks, Asian Voice has closely followed and reported on Labour’s shifting immigration policies, shedding light on the party’s increasingly restrictive stance. Despite claims from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his team that their aim is simply to foster self-sufficiency and economic balance, the language and tone emerging from Labour tell a more troubling story—one that mirrors, rather than challenges, the growing anti-immigrant sentiment in the country.
PM Starmer may not openly endorse harsh immigration rhetoric, but the impact of his policies suggests little appetite for making the UK a more welcoming place for immigrants. Meanwhile, the broader political landscape offers little comfort. No major party appears willing to take a strong, principled stand in favour of immigration or multiculturalism.
Whether overt or implicit, the messaging from across the spectrum increasingly suggests that Britain is retreating inward, excluding those who don't fit an outdated image of who a "real Briton" is. The Conservative Party, under figures like Kemi Badenoch, continues to push for tighter immigration controls. Badenoch has argued that only migrants who are net contributors to the economy should be eligible for permanent settlement—an approach that could exclude around 1.4 million people over the next five years. Her comments implying that some cultures are superior to others have been widely criticised as “dangerous rhetoric,” casting doubt on her credibility as a champion of social cohesion.
Meanwhile, Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, takes an even more hardline approach. The party leader proposes punitive economic measures against foreign workers, such as raising employers’ National Insurance contributions to 20%; and calls for Britain to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights and repeal the Human Rights Act. These radical steps, he argues, are essential to restoring control over immigration.
All of this is when, as of 2024, the United Kingdom has experienced a significant decline in net migration, marking the most substantial annual decrease on record. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), net migration dropped to 431,000 in 2024, nearly halving from 860,000 in 2023.
Given these positions, one is left to wonder: is Britain edging closer to the far right? If so, the country may have just taken one step forward and two steps back.
Experts weigh in on Labour policies
Community members and leaders have voiced deep disappointment over the increasingly anti-immigration stance adopted by those in power, many even doing so through the pages of Asian Voice. Their frustration is rooted in the fact that immigrant communities, who have long called the UK home, have consistently contributed to the country’s welfare.
From bolstering the economy to supporting the NHS and public services, these communities have never shied away from their responsibilities. The current rhetoric, they say, not only overlooks these contributions but actively undermines the values of inclusion and respect that Britain claims to uphold and the experts second their voices.
According to Dr Maya Goodfellow, Presidential Fellow, City St George’s, University of London and the author of ‘Hostile Environment: How Immigrants Became Scapegoats’, "The Labour government haven't challenged anti-immigration narratives but have instead deepened them. This matters not just because of the impact that negative discourse about immigration has on people arriving and living here but also because it signals the direction of travel in terms of policy.
“It seems Labour plans to make what is already an incredibly strict, stigmatising immigration system even more hostile, which will only hurt some of the most marginalised people further."
Similarly, Professor Nando Sigona, Professor of International Migration and Forced Displacement said, “Starmer’s proposals tighten immigration rules significantly — increasing English language requirements, extending the residency period for settlement, and ending new social care visas. While framed as a correction to Conservative policies, these changes appear politically motivated, aimed at appeasing right-wing media and voters drawn to Reform UK.
“This approach risks deepening labour shortages in sectors like social care and higher education and panders to anti-migrant sentiment and could inflame xenophobia.
“Starmer’s unwillingness to relitigate Brexit means that the White Paper blames the Tories for the growth in net-migration but without explaining why this is the case, ultimately shifting blame for the current situation onto migrants who have come to the UK in good faith and according to the rules.”
Sian Norris, senior investigations reporter at openDemocracy, who has reported extensively on immigration policy also commented and offered a more human approach saying, "While we have seen some positive policy changes on immigration, such as cancelling Rwanda, processing asylum claims from irregular arrivals, and committing to close large-scale accommodation sites, Labour's rhetoric on this issue has been divisive. From framing immigration as causing harm to Britain, to using distressing language about becoming an island of strangers, Labour is framing immigration as a problem, and in doing so, they are putting community cohesion and human rights at risk.
“Everyone says we need an honest conversation about immigration, well, to me that means looking at and celebrating the ways immigration benefits Britain, telling the human stories behind asylum and immigration in order to promote empathy and respect, and ending the borders industrial complex so that people in the immigration system are put before profit. Do that, and hopefully we will see more progressive legislation, too."
Level-headed voices from within
As we see a great majority of leaders taking a stance that aligns with their party, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London has come forward in support of the immigrants.
Appearing on a news channel, the mayor showed his support for immigrants and he did so providing statistics. He said, “A skilled migrant will contribute, on average, 16,000 pounds a year towards our economy, and that's when you include the public services he or she may use. By the way, compare that to a Brit skilled worker, that's 800 pounds minus the public services they use. And here's the lovely stat, a skilled migrant's family will contribute to the British economy 12,000 pounds a year.
“That's even when you take away public services they use, a British skilled worker's family takes from the economy 4000 to 400 pounds when you include public services they use. So the idea that skilled migrants are sponges, or, you know, skivers, it just isn't the case.”
Similarly, Jeremy Corbyn, a former Labour leader, shared his opinion speaking at the parliament. He said, “When he's (Keir Starmer) finished denigrating every community that's made their homes in this country, will he just reflect for a moment on the massive contribution made—in education, in health, in transport, and in many other industries—by people who have come to this country?
“When he goes to a hospital, does he criticise those people who have come from another country and are working in our hospitals, looking after us in our health services? Or is he only interested in denigrating people because they were born speaking a different language and look different from him?”
Sectors under pressure
The UK's recent immigration reforms, particularly the cessation of international recruitment for adult social care roles, have intensified existing workforce challenges in the sector. With an increasing need of social care workers and workforce to support a struggling NHS, already being held up by the immigrants, no one can really guess how Keir Starmer plans on employing Britons to a workforce they have no interest in.
According to Dr Dora-Olivia Vicol, CEO of the Work Rights Centre, “None of the 39,000 workers who, by the government’s own admission, were tricked by rogue sponsors, have been compensated for their financial loss. Scores of people are still in limbo, pressured to find a new visa sponsor, not permitted to take up work elsewhere, and precariously relying on food vouchers or the charity of friends to get by.
“This government seems hell-bent on making life harder for migrant workers who themselves are at the mercy of an immigration system they have had no say in. We need harsher penalties for employers who abuse migrant workers on Certificates of Sponsorship, and more protection for workers. This would act as a real deterrent for those who seek to exploit for profit, and help fund a much-needed worker compensation scheme.”
When it comes to higher education and research, this is the sector, apart from health and social care, that will face the most immigration related issues. While the government maintains that it wants to keep the UK an attractive destination for top students and researchers, the proposed changes mark a sharp shift in tone and policy.
Universities UK, a higher education body, has projected that policy changes will result in a £1.398 billion funding cut for institutions by the 2025-26 academic year.
This analysis, shared with Politics Home, highlights growing uncertainty within the sector regarding the extent of the government's higher education reforms and the figures emerge as universities already grapple with financial strains.
Vivienne Stern, UUK Chief Executive, expressed her concern to, stating, "It does feel like in the last few weeks, we have had a series of announcements that rather than helping to address the underlying financial challenges facing the sector, just make them a bit worse."
Stern emphasised that while ministers claim to understand the system's pressures and aim for long-term stabilisation, the sector needs "a little bit less conversation, a bit more action, please." She noted that universities have been working to improve efficiencies and cut costs, and it's now the government's turn to "make a contribution to sustaining and improving the higher education and research system, which this country relies on."
This comes at a time when the UK can really attract students as the United States reels from sweeping science funding cuts and a hostile stance towards its top universities. Britain is poised to become the global leader in science and research, but held back by restrictive immigration policies.
Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, has warned that the UK cannot capitalise on America’s hostility unless it reforms its immigration system, especially the exorbitant visa and healthcare surcharges faced by foreign researchers.
Ultimately, the UK’s immigration policy may inadvertently introduce long-term risks to the country’s progress. Balancing the need for controlled immigration with the benefits of attracting global talent is crucial. Policymakers must consider the potential economic, social, and cultural impacts of these reforms to ensure they support the nation's growth and uphold its values of inclusivity and openness.
