Keir Starmer faces scrutiny over migration targets in BBC interview

Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, faced criticism during a BBC interview for not setting a target on net migration, which reached a record 906,000 last year. He emphasized the need to reduce both legal and irregular migration without committing to specific numbers. Starmer stated that previous governments' hard caps on migration failed to work. He highlighted plans to address root causes, such as work visas and skills shortages, rather than imposing a numerical target. Recent data shows net migration fell by 20% to 728,000 in the year to June 2024, attributed to new restrictions on overseas students and care workers. Changes include higher salary thresholds for work visas and limits on family member visas.