🔗 Share this article

Historical racism is resurfacing to British the political arena, which makes people feel deeply uneasy, Keir Starmer warned, cautioning that polarizing hard-right political tactics was “tearing our country apart”.

Tackling Racist Rhetoric and Divisive Strategies

Speaking with GP and TV personality a well-known TV doctor, the prime minister accused the Reform UK party of overseeing a return of racist and divisive politics that seemed a thing of the past decades ago”.

In the interview, broadcast on ITV’s Lorraine show on Tuesday, Starmer also gave a clear indication suggesting the two-child benefit cap might be scrapped in the budget later this month.

Promise to Reduce Poverty Among Children

When questioned whether he planned to eliminate this restriction, which charities have said is the biggest driver of poverty for children across Britain, Starmer responded: “I can tell you in no uncertain terms I will strive to drive child poverty down.”

He outlined measures the government has already launched including free school meals, breakfast clubs, and childcare but added: “We must go beyond these efforts, and I assure you and tell you I am dedicated to cutting child poverty.”

When pressed about if his comments meant he intended to remove the two-child cap, Starmer said “I would not say we are going to drive down child poverty without being sure that we will implement several steps to achieve this”.

Clear Indications from Rachel Reeves

The Chancellor, gave an equally strong hint earlier this week when she told BBC Radio 5 Live that “in the end, a child should not be penalised because their parents don’t have very much money”.

Government officials are understood to be preparing to lift the limit entirely, having originally looked at phasing it out either for very large families or richer ones. The Resolution Foundation projects the expense would be about £3.5bn by the end of the decade.

Political Divide and National Renewal

During the discussion, the Prime Minister explained the ideological split currently in Britain was between the government’s vision for renewal versus “the toxic division of Reform” and other right-wing groups who were “splitting the UK”.

“Certain language currently circulating – discriminatory talk, divisive rhetoric – which I believed was resolved decades ago is returning to politics and it makes people feel fearful,” he said.

“We must confront to that racism, that divisiveness, and declare confidently that British identity is to have concern for others, is about being fair, entails tolerance and kindness, which we value deeply.”

Reflecting Warnings from Wes Streeting

The prime minister echoed sentiments used by the Health Secretary, who cautioned earlier this month that an “ugly” racism reminiscent of past decades was now worryingly commonplace again with healthcare workers were bearing the brunt of it.

The health secretary noted incidents of verbal and physical abuse targeting individuals due to race now happened so often that it was now “acceptable to express racism”.

“We must end on racism in this country and we need to place such harmful attitudes that has emerged nationally back in its box and reestablish a climate in this country where racism is unacceptable to be racist,” Streeting said.

Defining Choice for the Public

Starmer used his speech during a major political gathering this autumn to outline clear divisions with his political opponents, stating that the public confronted a “defining choice”.

He said he was engaged in a struggle for the nation’s identity, and argued that while the public had “reasonable” concerns regarding unauthorized immigration, there was “a moral line” which some politicians had overstepped.

Starmer pledged to challenge those claiming that non-white individuals did not belong and that families who had lived in Britain for years must be removed, saying people promoting such views constituted “opposed to the country’s progress”.

“Encouraging racist violence and hatred, that is not expressing concern: it is illegal. Our political movement is proud of our flags, yet if they are painted alongside graffiti, targeting a business owner to leave the country, that is not patriotism; that’s racism,” he informed activists.