Sadiq Khan Criticises Keir Starmer Over 'Island Of Strangers' Comment

Sadiq Khan has criticised Keir Starmer’s warning that high levels of immigration risk making Britain “an island of strangers”.

The Labour mayor of London said it was “not the sort of language that I’m comfortable with”.

His comments are a major blow to Starmer as Khan is a political ally of the prime minister as well as a senior party colleague.

Starmer sparked fury with his remarks, which were contained in a speech unveiling Labour’s plans to slash the number of migrants coming to the UK.

They also drew comparisons with right-wing former Tory minister Enoch Powell, who said British people “found themselves made strangers in their own country” because of immigration.

In an interview with the BBC’s Newsnight programme, Khan was asked if he felt comfortable with Starmer’s language.

He said: “My starting point in this conversation needs to start with my experience as the mayor of London, as a citizen of this great city and the son of migrants.

“I see on a daily basis the contribution migrants make economically, socially and culturally.

“I see it when I go to the NHS, when I speak to employers in the financial sector, when I speak to colleagues in parliament and indeed the government, when I reads articles written by journalists, when I look at the social care sector, when I look at the legal sector, when I look at the cultural sector.

“That’s my experience, and I also recognise that sometimes people use language that I won’t use, and I wouldn’t use that sort of language, it’s not the sort of language that I’m comfortable with.”

Asked on Tuesday if Starmer stood by his comments, his spokesman said: “Yes.”

On the claims that the PM had echoed Enoch Powell, he said: “I reject that comparison. The prime minister has made the argument that migrants make a massive contribution to the UK and have done for generations, not least those who came after the war.

“But it is also reasonable to recognise that uncontrolled migration of recent years has put pressure on public services.”

The spokesman added: “The prime minister was using his own words to recognise the contribution immigrants have made, but also that uncontrolled migration has been too high. This government is not going to shy away from this issue.”