Starmer refuses to say if he’ll lead Labour into next election during awkward grilling.uk
The Prime Minister also defended his stance on immigration, repeating his warning that Britain must not become “an island of strangers”.
Keir Starmer says ‘we shouldn’t be an island of strangers’
Sir Keir Starmer has refused to confirm whether he will lead the Labour Party into the next general election — dodging the question during an awkward interview. And he also branded suggestions he was channelling Enoch Powell as “nonsense” in an at-times-tense interview with GB News.
Put on the spot over his future by Political Editor Christopher Hope on Thursday, the Prime Minister said: “You’re getting way ahead of me,” before pivoting to his government’s policy agenda. He added: “I’m absolutely clear that my task is to rebuild our country, the security that we need, we’re getting on with that.” Citing recent trade developments, he said: “Trade deals with India, with the US, hopefully a trading relationship with the EU, very strong growth figures today reflecting, I think, the decisions that we’ve made for interest rate cuts, actual living wages, waiting lists to come down.”
Sir Keir Starmer is grilled by Christopher Hope – and skirted round questions about the future (Image: GB News)
Sir Keir also defended his controversial stance on immigration, repeating his warning that Britain must not become “an island of strangers”.
He said: “I’ve always said that our country should be able to walk forward into the future in a way which is bringing our communities together, our neighbours together. And that’s why I’m clear that we shouldn’t be an island of strangers, actually.”
The Prime Minister denied his rhetoric echoed that of Enoch Powell, insisting: “That’s complete nonsense. My values are about how we bring our country together. I’ve always believed in the patriotism that Labour’s long embodied as a political party.”
While reiterating the contribution made by migrants, he also emphasised the need for control: “Where migrants are coming to our country, they have added a huge contribution and changed our country for the better.
“But we do that as friends, as colleagues, as neighbours…not as strangers.”
Sir Keir Starmer and Albanian PM Edi Rama in Tirana (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir confirmed the UK is in talks to create so-called “return hubs” to deport failed asylum seekers, saying: “We have to make sure they’re returned effectively.”
He added: “No single measure is going to be the silver bullet. But return hubs, arrest seizures, agreements with other countries — by putting it all together — will allow us to bear down on this vile trade and stop those people crossing the Channel.”
He was also critical of the previous government’s handling of the asylum backlog, saying: “They didn’t process the claims.
“Therefore they couldn’t be returned. They were put in hotels. That’s not acceptable.”
Responding to reports of an £80,000 bill for satellite TV for migrants at Manston, he said: “The British taxpayers [are] picking up the bill. That’s why we’ve allocated all the extra resource to processing the claims… 24,000 have been removed. That’s the highest figure for nearly a decade.”
Sir Keir also voiced concerns over Albanian-run Turkish barbers and their alleged links to drug trafficking, adding: “We’re using intelligence from both countries at a point of enforcement — that is the most effective way to deal with it.”
He said the UK would not return to freedom of movement but would seek stronger trade ties with the EU.
Pressed on whether there would be a national inquiry into grooming gangs, he said criminal investigations should take priority: “Better than a recommendation is a measure. It is a conviction that is measured in many years.”
