Starmer took to the podium in Downing Street today, brandishing a white paper and a barrage of populist rhetoric, vowing to end Britain’s “failed experiment in open borders” and slash net migration. With net migration at 728,000 in the year to June 2024, Starmer promised a “controlled, selective, and fair” immigration system, claiming it would prevent the UK from becoming an “island of strangers.” Yet, beneath the bluster, his proposals are a masterclass in performative politics—long on promises, short on substance, and fatally undermined by his refusal to confront the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) or outline concrete measures to stop and deport illegal migrants. Starmer’s tough talk is a hollow attempt to counter the surging Reform UK, but it’s clear his actions won’t match the rhetoric.
The ECHR: Starmer’s Untouchable Sacred Cow
At the heart of Starmer’s failure lies his unwavering commitment to the ECHR, a treaty that has repeatedly thwarted Britain’s efforts to control its borders. During his press conference, when asked if the UK should “disentangle” itself from the ECHR, Starmer flatly rejected the idea, arguing that compliance with international law is necessary for international law enforcement agreements. This stance is a death knell for any serious immigration reform. The ECHR, particularly Articles 3 (freedom from torture) and 8 (right to family life), has been exploited by foreign criminals and illegal migrants to block deportations, often on flimsy grounds. For example, a Palestinian family of six was granted asylum through a Ukrainian refugee scheme, and an Iraqi migrant who arrived as a minor was allowed to stay because it wasn’t his “decision” to come to the UK.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp warned that Starmer’s plans to prevent foreign sex offenders from claiming asylum are “deeply dishonest” because Article 3 of the ECHR supersedes other conventions, allowing criminals to dodge deportation. Former adviser Rajiv Shah echoed this, noting that Article 3’s absolute interpretation renders Starmer’s reforms “totally ineffective.” Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, was blunt: “This government will not do what it takes to control our borders. Only Reform UK will leave the ECHR and deport illegal migrants.” Starmer’s refusal to even consider exiting the ECHR—unlike Denmark, which tried (and failed) to restrict its scope—ensures that judges will continue to prioritise migrant rights over public safety.
No Plan to Stop or Deport Illegal Migrants
Starmer’s white paper is deafeningly silent on the critical issue of illegal migration, particularly the 30,000 small-boat crossings since Labour took office in July 2024. His speech focused heavily on legal migration—tweaking visa rules, raising English language requirements, and extending the wait for citizenship from five to ten years—but offered no concrete strategy to halt the Channel crisis or deport those with no right to stay. This omission is glaring, given Starmer’s earlier pledge to “smash” people-smuggling gangs, a promise that has yielded little beyond summits and soundbites.
In March 2025, Starmer defended human rights lawyers who thwart deportations, arguing that blaming them would “break down” the system. Yet, he’s now promising to curb judges’ powers to block deportations under the ECHR, claiming he’ll “inject common sense” into the system. This is a contradiction wrapped in a fantasy—“common sense” isn’t a legal term, and Starmer’s track record suggests he’s more comfortable defending the status quo than dismantling it. In 2020, he signed a letter opposing the deportation of foreign criminals to Jamaica, a fact he dodged when questioned today. Kemi Badenoch, Tory leader, seized on this hypocrisy: “Keir Starmer once called all immigration laws racist. So why would anyone believe he actually wants to bring immigration down?”
The numbers tell the story of Labour’s failure. Since July 2024, 6,642 migrants crossed the Channel in 2025 alone, surpassing the same period in 2024. Starmer’s much-touted 24,103 “returns” between July 2024 and March 2025 include voluntary and asylum-related returns, not just enforced deportations, inflating the figures to mask inaction. His plan to tighten legislation around ECHR loopholes, such as those allowing “exceptional circumstances” to block deportations, lacks detail and teeth. Without leaving the ECHR or radically rewriting domestic law—an unlikely move given Labour’s left flank—Starmer’s reforms are destined to be symbolic.
Performative Policies for a Reform UK Problem
Starmer’s crackdown reeks of political expediency, rushed out to counter Reform UK’s surge after heavy Labour losses in May’s local elections. The white paper’s measures—banning care homes from recruiting overseas workers, requiring English proficiency, and prioritising migrants who “contribute” (e.g., pay taxes or volunteer)—are designed to sound tough but dodge the root issues. The Home Office estimates these changes might reduce inflows by 100,000 annually, but this is speculative and fails to address illegal migration, which Farage has skilfully conflated with legal routes to galvanise voters.
Refugee charities like Care4Calais have slammed Starmer’s rhetoric, particularly his “island of strangers” phrase, as “dangerous” and fuelling far-right narratives. Meanwhile, the SNP called the care home ban a “devastating attack” on Scotland’s services, highlighting the economic fallout of Labour’s posturing. Even business leaders, like Neil Carberry of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, warned that Starmer’s intervention “will spark alarm among bosses,” as sectors reliant on migrant workers face disruption.
Rhetoric Without Resolve
Starmer’s immigration overhaul is a classic case of talking the talk without walking the walk. His refusal to exit the ECHR shackles the UK to a legal framework that prioritises migrant rights over national sovereignty. His failure to outline a robust plan to stop small-boat crossings or deport illegal migrants betrays a lack of seriousness, despite his claims of “anger” at the crisis. The white paper’s focus on legal migration tweaks, while ignoring the Channel chaos, is a misdirection aimed at appeasing voters spooked by Reform UK’s rise.
As Farage taunted on X, “Starmer is making promises he can’t keep.” The Prime Minister’s history—opposing deportation flights, defending human rights lawyers, and once labelling immigration laws “racist”—undercuts his newfound hawkishness. Without the courage to confront the ECHR or prioritise enforcement over optics, Starmer’s crackdown is a paper tiger, destined to crumble under the weight of its own contradictions. Voters, as The Sun warned, “will be watching,” and any “backsliding” will be punished at the ballot box. For now, Starmer’s tough words are just that—words, unbacked by the action needed to secure Britain’s borders.
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