More than a dozen senior Christian, Muslim and Jewish faith leaders have written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, urging him to adopt a more compassionate narrative on migration following his recent 'island of strangers' speech. The letter, coordinated by the UK Jewish refugee charity HIAS+JCORE, was sent after Starmer's address on Monday, which preceded the publication of the government's immigration white paper.
The letter has been signed by over 25 faith leaders, including 14 senior Anglican bishops, Imam Qari Asim, Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, and representatives from the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and the United Reformed Church. The signatories express concern that the current narrative risks driving public anxiety and entrenching polarisation.
In the letter, the faith leaders state: 'Our concern is that the current narrative, which presents only one side of the debate, will only drive public anxiety and entrench polarisation. When you refer to the 'incalculable' damage done by uncontrolled migration, you are in danger of harming migrant members of our communities and strengthening those who would divide us.' They call for a principled approach that lowers the temperature of the debate and prioritises bringing communities together.
The leaders urge Starmer to focus on building community relationships and affirm what unites people across diversity. They argue that fair policies balancing host community needs with opportunities for those fleeing war and persecution are necessary. The letter highlights that migrants contribute to the UK and that framing their presence as unfair feeds a politics of grievance.
A No 10 spokesperson responded: 'We are clear that migrants make a massive contribution to the UK, and would never denigrate that. Britain is an inclusive and tolerant country, but the public expect that people who come here should be expected to learn the language and integrate.' The spokesperson added that the white paper aims to lower net migration and repair public trust.
