Labour MPs Miss Vote on Expansive UK Migrant Crackdown Bill

Keir Starmer and many senior Labour figures notably abstained from voting on their own Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which proposes stringent measures such as counter-terrorism-style powers to tackle people smugglers and criminalize ownership of smuggling equipment. The bill also includes a controversial plan to send failed asylum seekers to Balkan countries, which faced a major setback when Albania’s Prime Minister rejected participation, embarrassing Starmer on a diplomatic trip. Critics from across the political spectrum, including Nigel Farage, Reform UK, and Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, accused Labour of lacking genuine commitment to border control and described the bill as weak or contradictory. Independent analysis highlights that Starmer’s government has taken an even harsher stance on immigration than previous Conservative administrations, extending the wait time for indefinite leave to remain and further criminalizing asylum seekers. The bill and Starmer’s rhetoric have drawn accusations of invoking nationalist and xenophobic themes reminiscent of Enoch Powell’s infamous speech, signaling a rightward shift within Labour that has met some resistance but little opposition from the party’s left wing. Overall, Labour’s immigration policy under Starmer reflects a tough approach aimed at controlling illegal immigration, but it faces both internal dissent and external criticism over its effectiveness and moral implications.