Starmer hypocritically criticised Sir Jim Ratcliffe on uncontrolled UK immigration

The core of the hypocrisy charge against Sir Keir Starmer lies in the timing and the specific terminology used by both men.

Critics argue that while Starmer condemned Ratcliffe's "colonised" comment as "offensive and wrong" in February 2026, his own "island of strangers" speech in May 2025 relied on a similar narrative of social fragmentation.

Comparison of the Remarks

Feature	Keir Starmer (May 2025)	Sir Jim Ratcliffe (Feb 2026)
Key Phrase	"Island of strangers"	"Colonised by immigrants"
Context	Defending strict new visa rules and "restoring control."	Criticising the UK's economic model as "unsustainable."
Implicit Warning	Loss of social cohesion and national identity.	Loss of national sovereignty and economic stability.
Historical Link	Linked to Enoch Powell's "strangers in their own country."	Linked to far-right rhetoric and colonial tropes.
Aftermath	Deeply regretted the phrasing a month later.	Apologised for the "choice of language" the next day.

The Hypocrisy Argument

Opponents, particularly from Reform UK, claim Starmer’s criticism of Ratcliffe is a double standard because:

• Thematically Identical: Both suggested that high migration levels make the UK unrecognizable or socially fractured.
• Political Pivot: Critics suggest Starmer only "regretted" his own words when they caused a backlash from his left wing, but then used Ratcliffe as a "convenient target" to distance himself from the same populist rhetoric he previously employed.
• Policy vs. Tone: While Starmer frames his rhetoric as a matter of "fair rules," critics like Nigel Farage argue the Prime Minister is happy to use the sentiment of migration control for votes while attacking others who use more "plain-speaking" versions of the same argument.

Ironically the UK government has lately (10 years too late) done something about mass immigration to the UK in making the rules much tougher which has finally deterred people. However, the boat people keep on coming.

Falling Numbers: By the time of Ratcliffe's 2026 remarks, net migration had already fallen sharply to 204,000 (year ending June 2025) due to government policy changes, leading critics to call his "emergency" tone outdated.

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