Why Keir Starmer is wrong about immigration

The Bunker

Podmasters

News, Politics, Society & Culture, Government

4.6 • 984 Ratings

🗓️ 14 May 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Keir Starmer’s migration speech has sparked a backlash – from across the political spectrum and for various reasons. Do we have a “problem” with migration – and what does the PM actually think he’s solving? Gavin Esler speaks with migration policy expert and campaigner Zoe Gardner to unpack what’s really going on, what circumstances are impacting the numbers, how we can be more honest about the situation – and what you really need to know about it. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Listen to the latest podcast from Podmasters, Crime Scene, the truth behind true crime with Alison Phillips and Bernard Hogan-Howe: https://linktr.ee/crimescenepodcast www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Advertising helps fund our podcasts, but we know some people would prefer the shows without adverts.
0:06.7	If that's you, why not support us on Patreon?
0:09.8	You'll get every episode without interruptions, and you'll be helping independent podcasting to thrive.
0:16.2	Follow the link in the show notes to find out more.
0:30.3	Hello and welcome to The Bunker. I'm Gavin Esler.
0:36.5	Why are so many countries tied in knots over immigration from the forcible arrests and deportations in the United States
0:38.2	and the failure of building a wall and making Mexico pay for it to Britain's post-Brexit
0:43.5	reality that immigration has gone up. No one seems to have a coherent answer. Now, Kirstama has
0:50.1	announced a new get-tuff policy with some old-style rhetoric.
0:59.3	On the 20th of April, 1968, Enoch Powell told a Conservative Party audience of his fears that if the United Kingdom didn't stop the immigration of workers, mostly from the Caribbean
1:04.0	and South Asia, as I look ahead, Powell said, I am filled with foreboding, like the Roman,
1:10.3	I seem to see the river Tiber foaming with
1:13.5	much blood. And now, on 12th of May 2025, the Labour Prime Minister Kirstama didn't quote the
1:19.8	Roman poet Virgil, but he did come up with his own sibiline prophecy on migration.
1:24.0	Quote, we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together.
1:30.2	That's a quote we've heard quite a bit already, and I suspect we may hear it for some time in
1:34.2	the future. But do we really risk becoming an island of strangers? We'll hear an expert view
1:40.3	from Zoe Gardner, a researcher, campaigner, and commentator on immigration policy.
1:45.5	Welcome to the bunker, Zoe.
1:46.9	Thank you very much for having me.
1:49.1	Can we begin with some basics?
1:51.1	I mean, do you think the United Kingdom has, quote, an immigration problem?
	...

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