'I don't recognise Starmer's immigration comments in my Labour Party' says Stourbridge MP
Stourbridge’s MP says Sir Keir Starmer’s remarks on immigration are not sentiments which fit with her version of Labour politics.
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Labour’s Cat Eccles, who is also a member of Dudley Council, took to social media to share her thoughts on the Prime Minister’s speech introducing tough new controls on migration, where he said the UK risks becoming an ‘island of strangers’.
Councillor Eccles posted on Facebook that in Stourbridge, migrants are families, friends, neighbours and colleagues, and blaming migrants for our country’s problems is simply pandering to the opposition.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Councillor Eccles added: “The comments made in that statement aren’t something I recognise in my Labour Party.
“I realise immigration concerns a lot of people but the data doesn’t stack up. Problems are caused by political choices, not immigration.”
Statistics from the 2021 census show 89.4 per cent of people in Dudley borough identify their ethnic group within the white category which is a drop of 0.1 per cent from the previous census in 2011.
The number of people identifying as Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh was recorded as 8.4 percent while black, black British, black Welsh, Caribbean or African was 2.5 percent of the borough’s population.
Councillor Eccles’ remarks sparked a strong reaction on Facebook. Luke Jones said: “People are fed up with sly remarks and lack of respect from leaders. We are also fed up of mass immigration that, whether you like it or not, is causing issues in this country. “
The Prime Minister’s choice of words, which has attracted criticism from a number of Labour MPs, was a concern for other people in the debate on Councillor Eccles’ comments.
Russell Eden said: “Last year the clear choice for me was Labour, and I was proud to have Labour sign in my garden.
“There’s a lot of good stuff being done, but the bad is really bad – and this is just another example. There’s no way I’m erecting a sign next time.”
Jayne Hamilton added: “Really disappointed to hear Starmer’s choice of words. I don’t expect to hear such rhetoric from a Labour PM.”
