How Labour's agenda on immigration has only just begun...
Recent riots in the UK have put immigration at the top of the political agenda
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As protests and riots spread across parts of the UK this month, immigration has been forced to the top of the country's political agenda once again.
The Prime Minister's dealing with the riots has led politicians including Boris Johnson to call Starmer "deaf" to concerns about immigration.
The former Tory leader accused Starmer of giving "the clear impression of a man who has no plan to stop illegal immigration because he simply doesn't care."
So, in just over a month in office, what plans has the new Prime Minister set out for immigration?
Boris Johnson said Keir Starmer is "deaf" to public concerns about immigration
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Almost immediately after the Labour Party won the general election, Starmer announced he would not continue with the previous government's policy to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.
He said: "The Rwanda scheme was dead and buried before it started. It's never been a deterrent."
While Rishi Sunak promised to "stop the boats" Labour made a different promise to the public- to "smash the criminal boat gangs".
Labour's manifesto said it would create a new Border Security Command which includes hundreds of specialist investigators, intelligence officers and cross-border police officers.
The Government said the money saved from scrapping the Rwanada scheme would be used to fund the unit to "pursue, disrupt and arrest those responsible for the vile trade."
However, Ben Brindle, a researcher at the University of Oxford's Migration Observatory said it's "not clear" how Labour will effectively deal with the ever-shifting networks of smugglers organising channel crossings.
The Government so far has not outlined the creation of new safe and legal routes for asylum seekers crossing the English Channel on small boats.
Meanwhile, in August Labour ended plans made by Michael Gove to introduce a 'UK connection test' to limit social housing to those resident for at least 10 ten years.
The Housing Secretary formally scrapped the plans that would have prevented recently arrived migrants from applying to council houses in England.
Dr. Mike Jones, executive director of Migration Watch UK, said one in five council homes are occupied by a foreign national lead tenant including nearly half in London.
He said: "Labour has no plans to cap legal migration or change the Human Rights Act to allow deportations of illegal entrants.
"They’ve also dropped the ‘British homes for British workers’ policy, which would have given priority to people born in the UK."
The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, also announced to parliament that the minimum income threshold for Family visas will not be raised any further than the current £29,000 figure.
The minimum income threshold for Family visas was originally set to be raised to £34,500 in late 2024 and £38,700 in 2025 in plans by the Conservative Government.
Yvette Cooper announced the minimum income threshold for Family visas will not be raised any further than the current £29,000 figure
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Cooper said: "The Family Immigration Rules, including the Minimum Income Requirement, need to balance a respect for family life whilst also ensuring the economic wellbeing of the UK is maintained.
"To help ensure we reach the right balance and have a solid evidence base for any change, I will commission the MAC to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules."
The Government also do not plan to renew the terms on the Bibby Stockholm barge, which houses asylum seekers off the coast of Dorset, beyond January 2025 and instead redirect the funds to faster asylum processing.
However, Yvette Cooper has clarified that Labour will not reverse several existing Conservative immigration policies including imposing restrictions on international students by limiting their ability to bring family members to the UK.
Measures will also be introduced preventing care workers from bringing dependents and the general salary threshold for Skilled Worker visa applications will be raised by 48 per cent, from £26,200 to £38,700.
Employers will also be required to pay migrant workers the same as UK workers in shortage occupations by replacing the Shortage Occupation List with a new Immigration Salary List.