BORDER FARCE
Keir doubles down on migration pledge as new raft of small boats arrive hours after ‘take back borders’ promise
He doubled down as a poll showed that immigration is the most pressing concern for voters
SIR Keir Starmer today stared down an open Labour rebellion raging against his hardline immigration rhetoric.
Party lefties including London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan attacked the PM for warning Britain risked becoming an “island of strangers”.
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MPs even accused their leader of aping Enoch Powell as anger over his border crackdown boiled over.
But Downing Street said Sir Keir “stands behind” his comments and that the “public rightly expect the government to bring order and control back to the immigration system”.
He was bolstered by YouGov polling showing 53 per cent of voters agree with his words, while only 27 per cent disagree.
And for the first time since the 2016 Brexit referendum, immigration overtook the economy to become the public’s most pressing concern.
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Despite the country coming down in favour of Sir Keir’s comments, Mr Khan said: “The sort of language I use is different to the language used by others. That’s not the sort of words I would use.”
And Ms Morgan piled in: “I will not be drawn into a debate where people are using divisive language when it comes to immigration.”
No10 categorically denied any deliberate allusion to Mr Powell’s 1968 Rivers of Blood Speech in which he warned people would find themselves “strangers in their own country”.
Tory Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said Britain was “already an island of strangers” and that yesterday’s crackdown was too timid.
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The former Immigration Minister told Times Radio: “I think it's true. In fact, I think in some places we already are. Aggressive levels of mass migration have made us more divided.”
The spat came as it was revealed 601 small boat migrants arrived on Monday - taking the annual figure past a record 12,000.
And today Border Force were seen bringing more Channel crossers ashore as good weather sparked a fresh surge.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper could not say when she would begin to turn the tide on numbers, but insisted France would change their laws to start intercepting the dinghies within the next few months.
Britain has paid the French around £500million to help stop small boats leaving Calais beaches but have been criticised for not doing enough.
Children were among around 130 migrants brought into Dover on Border Force vessel Ranger at 1pm.
They are believed to have been rescued from two small boats. It takes the tally so far today to at least 200 migrants on four boats.
Border Force ship Defender was still out at sea - suggesting there may be another successful crossing before it turns windy in the Channel.
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