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This is Ben Riley Smith of the Daily Telegraph with The Week in Westminster.

This week, the main political parties were still working out how to respond to a bruising

set of local election results.

It was the government that sought to seize the initiative, with Sakeir Stama finally unveiling

his long-awaited

plan for reducing net migration. The white paper, published on Monday morning, was packed with

proposals. There were stricter requirements for speaking English, a looming ban on bringing in

people to fill social care jobs, and a levy on universities recruiting foreign students.

But it was what the Prime Minister said in this speech about the need for controlled migration,

as much as the policy specifics that got Westminster talking.

Now, in a diverse nation like ours, and I celebrate that, these rules become even more important. Without them, we risk becoming an island of strangers,

not a nation that walks forward together. That phrase, an island of strangers, was jumped on by critics,

who heard a nod to Enoch Powell's incendiary rivers of blood speech. Not so, said number 10, who rejected any connection.

Others saw a simpler explanation.

The surging support for Reform UK and its tough line on migration.

Among them was party leader Nigel Farage,

who rose to speak in Prime Minister's questions.

We at Reform, a party that is alive and kicking, very much enjoyed your speech on Monday.

You seem to be learning a very great deal from us.

The new efforts to drag down net migration, which peaked at 900,000 a year under the Tories,

split Labour MPs, not the first crack to emerge since the local elections.

...