Bridget Phillipson Faces Tough Questioning Over Labour’s Immigration Policy Amidst Possible U-Turn
Bridget Phillipson, the Labour Education Secretary, faced intense questioning on GB News over the possibility of another U-turn by Sir Keir Starmer on the party’s immigration reforms. In a fiery exchange with host Camilla Tominey, Phillipson struggled to clarify whether the Prime Minister might “water down” the controversial immigration policy proposed by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
During the interview, Tominey pressed Phillipson on why Labour seemed reluctant to fully trust Mahmood to push through the policy, a key issue that had recently drawn criticism from various sectors. Phillipson, however, refused to rule out a further shift in the party’s position, stating that there were still areas under “consultation” and that some decisions, particularly regarding how long migrants must wait before qualifying for indefinite leave to remain, were still being considered.
“The public need to see that we have control over our immigration system,” Phillipson said. “It’s essential to demonstrate that we maintain law and order at our borders to support an open society. We are exploring the best way to strike a balance between control and fairness.”
Tominey, however, was unimpressed, accusing Starmer of being indecisive and having flip-flopped on key policies multiple times. “This will be the 15th U-turn, won’t it?” she asked pointedly. “Keir Starmer just can’t seem to keep a position, and now he’s trying to overrule his own Home Secretary.”
Phillipson defended the government’s approach, insisting that the Labour Party was committed to tackling illegal migration and addressing criminal smuggling. She stressed that the length of time required for migrants to earn indefinite leave to remain was still being debated as part of an ongoing consultation process.
“The consultation on these matters is ongoing,” she reiterated, noting that some aspects of the policy were still under review.
However, the tension between the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary continued to build, with Tominey highlighting that Mahmood had previously stated the immigration reforms as “fact,” with no mention of them being under consultation.
Phillipson’s reluctance to clarify whether further U-turns were off the table only added to the mounting uncertainty surrounding Labour’s immigration policy, a key area of focus for the party ahead of the upcoming elections.
