Unpicking Starmer's dog whistle politics on immigration
Plus: Expectations ahead of UK-EU reset summit + the fallacy of the 'perfect immigrant' + #ReformWatch + view from the North all in The Lead's Weekend edition
Labour’s new immigration white paper, unveiled on 12 May, has set hares running.
Keir Starmer’s rhetoric around migration is now unmistakably hardline. Calling the UK’s historic immigration policy a “failed experiment” and warning that we risk becoming “an island of strangers” isn’t just dog-whistle politics, it marks a clear lurch to the right; a deep betrayal of the progressive values many hoped a Labour government would stand for.
Labour MPs are rattled. Core voters are angrier still. But the white paper also exposes a more uncomfortable truth about our politics: we live in a gerontocracy. A system run, unmistakably, by the whims of pensioners, even when those interests clash with the long-term interests of the country.
The policies in this white paper are designed to appeal to older voters: a demographic that tends to be more sceptical of immigration — and increasingly tempted by Reform. Policy has often been decided this way. It often makes political sense: the short-termism baked into our electoral cycles rewards parties that cater to the largest and most reliable voting bloc. These policies have often aligned with the economic interests and cultural concerns of older voters, from suppressing house-building, Brexit, prioritising taxes on earnings over assets, to shaping immigration rhetoric around anxieties about demographic change
Now, Labour is doing the same. In trying to keep these voters onside, it’s playing with fire, especially when it comes to social care, which already hangs by a thread.
A vague, probably futile electoral boost, bought with real damage to some of the most vulnerable people in the country. It won’t win over the right, who will always demand harsher measures, and it alienates the left, who feel abandoned by their party.
Let’s be clear: Britain’s care system relies on migrant workers. Not in the abstract, in reality. Thousands of people from overseas help our elderly wash, eat, stay safe and live with dignity. Nearly half of all new starters in care in 2023 were migrants, and one fifth of the overall workforce is non-British. That’s not because employers are avoiding British workers, it’s because there simply aren’t enough people here willing or able to do these demanding jobs under the current conditions, which are low-pay, long-hours, understaffed and underappreciated.
But Labour’s new plan proposes phasing out overseas recruitment in care entirely. The solution? “Train up British workers”. A noble idea, and one we’ve needed for years. But it’s fantasy to think we can just click our fingers and create 100,000 new carers overnight.
Worse, Labour has shown time and again that it's not ready to confront the vested interests standing in the way. The party is already supposedly watering down its workers' rights bill and bent to pressure from big business. If it won't stand up to vested interests and improve pay and conditions, what hope is there of attracting a homegrown care workforce?
And here’s the kicker: older voters are the ones who’ll be hit hardest. They rely on home visits, hospital discharge support and care homes that are already stretched to the limit. A shrinking workforce means longer waits, rushed appointments, and in some areas, no care at all.
So what’s the trade-off? A vague, probably futile electoral boost, bought with real damage to some of the most vulnerable people in the country. It won’t win over the right, who will always demand harsher measures, and it alienates the left, who feel abandoned by their party.
We’re told this is about balance. But if we’re serious about balancing generational needs, we need to be honest that migration is not a problem to be solved, it’s often the solution staring us in the face.
This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about political priorities. Many of us hoped this Labour government might be brave enough to speak plainly, to tell older voters that immigration isn’t ruining the country, it’s helping to hold it together.
And younger generations know what awaits them in the future. Their own hospital and social care will be deprioritised. They’ll have to give up careers to care for ageing relatives. They’ll watch the chance of inheriting any wealth vanish as homes are sold off to pay for overstretched, overpriced care. Migrants, too, will suffer, caught in an increasingly hostile environment where only those deemed “economically useful” are allowed to stay.
Labour says it wants to build a fairer Britain. If that’s true, it has to stop pretending we can fix social care without migration. That’s not “balance.” It’s denial. ■
At The Lead we aim to give a voice to insightful writing on people, place and policy, and in The Lead Says this week we’ve had powerful writing from Nicola Kelly, who used to be inside the Home Office machine, and from Tiago who is/was hoping to make a life for himself here in Britain.
Tiago came to this country legally. He completed his education, paid his taxes, and learnt the language. And yet, he is one of the reasons Britain is now, in the Prime Minister’s own words, an “island of strangers.” Here he writes on the fallacy of the ‘good immigrant’.
There was not a single positive remark about the benefits of migration featured in the Prime Minister’s fifteen-minute address on immigration this week. What’s more, it was a complete 180-degree shift from his view during the Labour leadership race in 2020, as Nicola Kelly writes.
And the movement of people between the UK and EU remains a fault-line and will be back in the headlines next week as Keir Starmer hosts European Union leaders for the UK-EU reset summit (the subject of this week’s The Lead Untangles). We at The Lead have written before on how the mood towards Brexit is changing, and quite rightly softening. We welcomed Best For Britain’s Niall McGourty to write for us on what the expectations should be for the summit next week.
The centre isn’t holding. As parties and policies drift further to the right, and radical talking points become manifesto pledges, The Lead is committed to keeping making sure the far right doesn’t go ignored. We plan to keep an eye on the movements of Reform UK – and we’ll be reporting back to you here, with our new ReformWatch section – appearing each week in our weekend edition.
There have been cross-party calls for Reform UK to throw out one of their new Lancashire county councillors, Accrington North representative Joel Tetlow, after he posted a picture of Hitler on his Facebook page. The image was captioned seemingly to compare the arrival of small boats across the Channel to a Nazi invasion. Speaking to Sky News, Tetlow said the post had been “taken out of context” and that he removed the post because he had people “slating” him. (Reminder: We’ll be closely following the new Reform administration in Lancashire with our dedicated title The Lancashire Lead. Make sure you subscribe to stay in the loop.)
Steve Miller, known for presenting the incredibly-of-its-time Sky show Fat Families, has officially joined Reform and wants you to know that he’s very proud. Along with a picture of his shiny new membership card, Miller posted on X writing: “Dear ordinary decent people. Be proud to tell others you support Reform UK. Do not worry about people claiming you are racist for doing so. You aren’t. You simply care about your country. It’s time to be proud of supporting Reform UK.”
People working for Reform-led councils have been urged to join unions by numerous Labour MPs as Farage claimed anyone working from home, or within the realms of climate change or diversity, should be “seeking alternative careers.” Writing for the Lancashire Lead, Labour Lancashire County Councillor Samara Barnes said: “We want to make sure that those who work so hard every day for the people in our county have the legal protections they need.”
The Reform MP for Runcorn and Helsby Sarah Pochin gave her first speech in the House of Commons on Monday night, taking a strong stance against houses of multiple occupation [HMOs] used to house asylum seekers. She began by sharing her delight in her colleagues “dragging themselves out of the pub” to join her. They certainly seemed merry.
The Tories are even losing ground when it comes to pub names to Reform, The Talbot Conservative Club in Blackpool rebranded after the local elections to become the country’s first Reform club. We’ll have more in
next week about the Talbot’s new name.Finally, the newly-elected Reform UK councillor for Loughborough Andrew Hamilton-Gray, was sacked from his role as a police officer for breaching professional standards on “honesty and integrity, discreditable conduct, orders and instructions, and duties and responsibilities”. It turned out he had called in sick so he could sell luxury cars in Spain and England, according to the BBC. He’s been on the College of Policing barred list ever since. At least we know we can trust them!
Get in touch on X, Bluesky and Instagram if you spot anything worth reporting or email ella@thelead.uk
View From the North
At The Lead we’re dedicated to telling stories beyond the bright lights of London and Manchester (although sometimes we still will). We have dedicated journalists and titles in Blackpool, Lancashire, Calderdale, Teesside and Southport bringing in-depth news and features twice-a-week to those communities. Each weekend we’ll give you a snapshot of what’s making the headlines beyond the urbane comfort of North London types…
People in Fleetwood are facing an ongoing issue – and it, quite literally, stinks.
The Jameson Road landfill exceeded the World Health Organisation guideline levels for hydrogen sulphide on dozens of occasions this year – and experts can’t deem it safe. Why then, is the site not being closed down? Luke Beardsworth looked into it this week.
From Southport, Jamie Lopez reports on findings that last summer’s riots following the last summer’s murders were not caused by any “single issue”. Rather than the result of well-organised and co-ordinated action by extremist groups, the causal factors were “more complex than were initially evident.” Some of the main reasons for the widespread disorder were noted as social deprivation, austerity and the economic downturn, political policies and decisions on migration.
Thank you for reading our weekend edition. We hope you enjoy the rest of your Saturday and manage to get out and enjoy some of this glorious spring sunshine.
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Ed, Natalie, Zoe, Luke, Ella, and The Lead team
The left need to make better arguements for why it’s not legitimate to want less immigration.