UK PM Starmer Plans Stricter Asylum Rules to Tackle Illegal Migration

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced sweeping changes to the asylum system, eliminating the automatic five-year route to settlement and the right for refugees to bring close family members to the UK. Instead, asylum seekers will need to demonstrate their contribution to society, including employment, community engagement, and language proficiency, to qualify for permanent settlement. These reforms aim to dismantle the business model of people smugglers and reduce illegal migration across the English Channel, while new partnerships and funding initiatives will support job creation in migration source countries. Starmer emphasized that settlement must be earned and not simply granted, reflecting a tougher stance amid political pressures and concerns over migration pull factors. Alongside these immigration policies, Starmer criticized reliance on imported labor, advocating for training the UK workforce, and faces scrutiny over government fiscal management amid rising public sector borrowing. However, some opposition voices argue that Labour's approach to economic challenges, particularly its tax strategy, risks shrinking the tax base and ignoring systemic waste in government spending.