By DAILY MAIL COMMENT Published: 10:53 BST, 28 September 2025 | Updated: 10:55 BST, 28 September 2025
Sir Keir Starmer today condemned Reform's plan to strip migrants of 'settled status' as 'racist' and 'immoral'.Speaking on the first day of the Labour conference in Liverpool, the Prime Minister launched a scathing attack on Nigel Farage's party claiming they do not believe in a 'tolerant and diverse' Britain. On Monday, Reform announced it would abolish the rights of migrants to qualify for permanent settlement in the UK after five years if they were to win the next election.The status, known as indefinite leave to remain (ILR), allows people who have lived here for more than five years to apply for British citizenship and claim benefits.Reform estimates 3.8million migrants who arrived after the pandemic will be eligible for ILR between 2026 and 2030. Mr Farage - who is on course to be the next Prime Minister according to a mega poll this week - suggested ending the status will save £234billion that would be paid out in benefits for them and their dependants in the coming decades.The policy has been heavily criticised by opposition parties, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves suggesting the savings 'have no basis in reality' and Tory shadow home secretary Chris Philp calling the plans 'half-baked and unworkable'.Sir Keir today gave his view on the policy, telling the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg: 'I do think that it is a racist policy. I do think it is immoral. It needs to be called out for what it is.'Here, you can have your say in the Daily Mail's latest poll on whether you think Reform's plan is 'racist' - as the Prime Minister claims.In yesterday's poll, Mail readers were asked: Can Keir Starmer regain lead for Labour over Reform? Out of 35,611 votes, 4 per cent said 'yes' and 96 per cent 'no'.
