Keir Starmer took to a lectern at Pinewood Studios today to remind the public just how badly the Tories failed on immigration. He also claimed that the Labour Party are the ones to finally fix the situation.
He said it was a matter of “basic security” for Britain. He clearly wants us to think it’s a priority for him because he knows it’s a priority for us. And is it any wonder that when you ask ordinary people in the UK about the nation’s biggest issue, they point to net migration?
It impacts every aspect of life. Rents have skyrocketed by 20–30% in just three years, GP and dentist waiting lists are endless, and public services are buckling under the weight of a population explosion. Add to this the very real security risks posed by countless undocumented, predominantly military-aged men, and it’s clear why the public is fed up. Yet the political class remains indifferent, offering hollow reassurances while this crisis spirals further out of control.
The numbers expose their failure. Net migration hit an eye-watering 906,000 in the year to June 2023. While it dipped to 728,000 the following year, this so-called “reduction” still leaves us at catastrophic levels. Worse still, revised data for December 2023 reveals net migration of 866,000.
These figures aren’t just statistics; they’re a damning indictment of political incompetence.
The impact on the UK is undeniable. In the last decade alone, the population has grown by over 5million, driven almost entirely by migration.
That’s more than the combined population of Birmingham and Manchester. Infrastructure is stretched to breaking point, buying a house has become completely out of reach for many, and public services are collapsing.
For millions of Britons, life is getting harder — thanks to years of neglect from both Labour and the Tories.
The Conservatives had 14 years to tackle this issue. What did they do? Absolutely nothing. Former Home Secretary James Cleverly even dared to brag about his “successes” in reducing net migration.
Success? A figure of 866,000 net migrants isn’t success; it’s an unmitigated disaster, repackaged with PR spin. The Tories’ obsession with optics over action has allowed this crisis to fester under their watch.
Labour is no better. Over 20,000 illegal migrants have now crossed the Channel in small boats since they took office. Yvette Cooper, the current Home Secretary, loudly criticizes the Tories, but her party’s track record inspires no confidence.
Labour is more interested in “resetting our relationship with the EU” than dealing with the crisis at home. Their so-called approach is nothing more than complacency dressed up as policy.
Remember their election promise to “smash the gangs”? It’s already been abandoned, like so many empty slogans designed to win votes without action.
The reality is stark: only 16% of non-EU migration in the past six years has come from main work applicants. The remaining 84% consists of dependants, family members, students, and others — most of whom are state dependants. Worse, one in five illegal immigrants falsely claims to be a child, exploiting a broken system while our leaders look the other way.
Neither Labour nor the Conservatives have the courage or competence to solve this crisis. Their joint failure has strained housing, healthcare, national security, and social cohesion. Both parties have betrayed the British people.
What’s needed now is real leadership. The UK must regain control of its borders, slash net migration, and end the farce of uncontrolled state dependency. Anything less is a betrayal of public trust and an abdication of responsibility.
The solution is a simple one! have the backbone to apply force at our borders! Enough empty talk.
Britain demands action.
Richard Thomson served as a Royal Marine for eight years and was the Reform UK candidate for Braintree in the General Election of 2024
