The View from Westminster

Thursday, November 23, 2023 Keir Starmer says immigration is 'shockingly high' The great outflanking of the Conservatives on their natural territory continues. Yesterday Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, claimed that Labour is the low tax party. Today Keir Starmer described this morning's net immigration figure, 672,000 in the year to June, as "shockingly high". Labour seems pretty emphatic that immigration at this level is a bad thing. Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, put out a statement this morning repeating the party's call for an end to the rule that grants visas to workers in shortage occupations taking jobs paying 20 per cent than the UK going rate.  Immigration has saved the social care sector, but Labour says that this is a failure, and that it would train British workers to fill those jobs.  I wonder how effective that would be. Quiz question  Apart from Pitt the Younger, who was an MP for three years before becoming prime minister, aged 24, which prime minister had the least parliamentary experience? Answer at the bottom of today's email Daily briefing Braverman says Sunak failure to control immigration 'slap in the face' Ten days after she was sacked, the former home secretary criticised the policy for which she was responsible James Cleverly changes his story about insult directed at Stockton MP The new home secretary says he didn't call the place a hole, he was just rude to its Labour MP Shock advance by Geert Wilders's anti-immigration party in the Netherlands 'All of Europe wants a political turnaround!' said leader of German AfD Most commented Articles driving the biggest conversations Hunt hails biggest tax cuts since 1980s, but plans condemned as 'not good for growth' Put this on a poster, Rishi: the Tory message isn't working What else do you need to know today? ● Qatar says ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is to begin tomorrow at 0700; first batch of hostages to be released at 1600 ● Michael Gove and Matt Hancock are giving evidence to the Covid inquiry next week ● Dame Priti Patel said "it's off that the current prime minister could not find a foreign secretary from his own back benches", in an interview on GB News; I wonder if there are any former cabinet ministers on the Tory back benches who had once been sacked for running their own foreign policy that she might have in mind? Reading list ● I wrote for Independent Premium about Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer being trapped by their support for tax cuts ● Sunder Katwala is the voice of reason on immigration ● Janice Turner says she bet that Labour will win a landslide – but her counterparty made it easier for her by defining a landslide as a Labour majority of 30; I agree with Prof Jon Davis that only a 100+ majority would count ● Tim Dunn had a wonderful Twitter thread five years ago today on the history of the Metropolitan Line, which is still one of the best things in social media Inside the bubble A look back at the week in Westminster The Commons is not sitting tomorrow (it has sat on only one Friday since March), so this is a chance to sum up the four-day week. The government managed to dominate the headlines with the "tax cuts" message, with a speech by the prime minister on Monday and the chancellor's autumn statement yesterday. Until people feel the benefit in their February pay statements, however, the message actually received is of spin and mirrors. And the week ends with today's figure for annual net immigration at 670,000, about which Rishi Sunak was so worried that he apparently asked if its publication could be postponed – fortunately the Office for National Statistics is robustly independent.    Quotation of the day "I'm not sure I'd want to be the chancellor inheriting this fiscal situation in a year's time." Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Quiz answer: Rishi Sunak, an MP for seven years before entering No 10, aged 42 The Independent proudly partners with Refuge and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 Join the conversation or follow us Download the free Independent app Please do not reply directly to this email   You are currently registered to receive The Independent's View From Westminster newsletter.   To unsubscribe from The Independent's View From Westminster newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here.   This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345 Read our privacy notice and cookie policy