Keir Starmer’s call to stop hiring foreign workers sparks fresh party in-fighting

SIR Keir Starmer sparked fresh party infighting yesterday after telling bosses to stop hiring cheap foreign workers.

The Labour leader said he wanted to wean Britain off its “immigration dependency” and instead train more staff at home.

But his infuriated predecessor Jeremy Corbyn railed: “Without immigration, the trains wouldn’t run, businesses wouldn’t function and the NHS wouldn’t exist.

“We will not end cheap labour by dividing workers and belittling migrants’ contribution.”

Sir Keir hardened his migration stance after previously warning that ending EU free movement would damage the economy.

In the 2020 Labour leadership election he said: “We have to make the case for the benefits of migration and for the benefits of free movement.”

Shadow Cabinet Minister Lisa Nandy also said at the time to reject “dog-whistle politics” and stick to unfettered migration.

Rishi Sunak has not put an “arbitrary number” on reducing net migration levels, and forecasts predict it to stay above 200,000 a year for the foreseeable future.

Alp Mehmet, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “It is welcome that the Labour leader is at last paying attention to widespread public concern about the sheer scale of continuing immigration.

"But he has made no commitment to reduce it.

“Until he does so he will be no more credible than the Tories on this issue which is vital for our future.”