‘Nations depend on rules – fair rules. Sometimes they’re written down, often they’re not, but either way, they give shape to our values. They guide us towards our rights, of course, but also our responsibilities, the obligations we owe to one another. 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.’ - Keir Starmer, 12th May 2025.
On 12 May 2025 the government published a white paper policy document called "Restoring control over the immigration system”. The document proposed some changes to make it harder to move to and settle in the UK, with a view to reducing immigration. The Prime Minister’s speech at the press conference and foreword to the white paper brought about significant discussion about the country’s attitudes to immigration as a whole. I believe that as the Student Christian Movement, we simply cannot be silent about this.
The language of ‘strangers’ encourages us to view those from other countries and cultures as being inherently strange. Some have argued that it echoes the language of Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech. Overall, the language of Starmer's speech, and his foreword to the White Paper, legitimises the concept of a ‘hostile environment’, and not the community cohesion that he has claimed to aim for. I argue that it is our duty as Christians to thoroughly reject the ‘hostile environment’.
Hostility is not an inevitability; it is a wilful decision.
In Starmer’s foreword, he writes that the damage immigration “has done to our country is incalculable” as “public services and housing access have been placed under too much pressure”. Successive governments have put the blame for this on multiculturalism, when really blame belongs to unchecked neo-capitalism.
The cost-of-living crisis, housing crisis and the public sector crisis won’t be solved using this language. Instead, tensions are heightened, and further damage is done to our fragile systems. People are having to justify their worthiness in everyday conversations, not just to fill out a visa form.
As a movement of Christian students, we need to be speaking out. Not only because the language itself is unacceptable (although, that is reason enough), but also because the university sector will be hugely impacted by this if the proposed changes go through. shortening the graduate visa to 18 months rather than 2 years, the removal of professions from the skilled worker list and the eligibility for settlement changing from five to ten years will all affect students wanting to study in the UK.
Personally, my life will probably be impacted by these changes. My partner is French and is currently finishing a PGCE to teach Languages in the UK. We don’t yet know what these changes might mean for us, but what we do know is that to be able to be together in this country we have a long (and expensive!) road ahead of us.
The contempt for migrants and immigrants that has been demonstrated by this government does not just affect those who are currently applying for or living in the UK on visas. It was clear in Starmer’s speech that he was talking about immigrants, not to them. The increasing suspicion of immigration has tragic impacts on people of colour in the UK, even if they are UK citizens. Here is a testimony from an SCM member:
“As a UK-born person of colour whose ethnic identity is under attack (they propose limiting immigrants and workers from Sri Lanka, my country of origin), I feel deeply troubled by this rhetoric from Starmer. This type of approach and language is not what I expected from a Labour government (and indeed, I voted Labour to try and avoid these types of attitudes from the Tories!) As a native-born Londoner, I witness and derive great strength, joy and comfort from the melting pot of different identities who yes, are initially strangers when new people arrive, but who mostly 'integrate' and gel together in the most extraordinary and wholesome ways. I am so disappointed by this unnecessary fearmongering."
As the Student Christian Movement, we claim to be social-justice oriented, and so anti-racism must be one of our key principles. Anti-racism is not just being nice to people of colour that prove themselves to be ‘decent’ by the metrics we arbitrarily put on them. Being anti-racist requires us to challenge xenophobic, racist and classist rhetoric, no matter who it comes from. Hate is a practice, just as love is. By echoing a rhetoric of hate and division, the Prime Minister is setting a tone that people will use in everyday interactions. When they say that the migrant or immigrant is a stranger, we instead call them sibling. It is our responsibility to call for justice and ultimately seek love above all else.
‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.’ Martin Luther King
Written by Niamh Hardman. Niamh is a Religions & Theology student at The University of Manchester. She is interested in all things Liberation Theology, intergenerational community projects, and is a keen promotor of amateur dramatics.
Suggested Resources:
https://www.seenandunseen.com/starmers-island-strangers-rhetoric-risky-and-wrong
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/immigration/how-changes-to-immigration-rules-might-affect-you/
https://migrantsrights.org.uk/2025/05/14/immigration-white-paper-summary/