KEIR STARMER has been branded a "Little Englander" for telling migrants "you should speak English" as part of a series of measures aimed at reducing the number of people coming to the UK.
The Prime Minister posted on social media a message to promote his plan, which includes a requirement of a higher standard of English including, for the first time, adult dependents required to display a basic understanding of the language.
The effort comes as Labour battles a surge in support for Reform UK, which won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election and council seats across England with policies including a “freeze” on immigration.
Starmer posted on Twitter/X: "If you want to live in the UK, you should speak English. That’s common sense. So we’re raising English language requirements across every main immigration route."
SNP MSP James Dornan replied to the post, writing: "You truly are a Little Englander. Let’s see how you cope if other countries follow suit and all these Costa Del Fortune residents come back with their illnesses and disabilities from countries where they think speaking the local language simply means shouting louder. Pathetic."
Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts (below) also responded, with :"The Welsh language holds the same legal status as the English language in Wales. Labour under Keir Starmer are forgetting about Wales and our nation’s identity once again.
"Where’s the common sense in devaluing our heritage?"
Neil Alexander, Scottish LibDems spokesperson for culture and sport, replied: "What about Gaelic Sir Keir? Are those speaking it in Scotland not welcome? It's almost like no lessons were learned in losing seats in the local elections to the LibDems."
"If you live in Wales you should speak Welsh. Or are we not doing that?", Welsh author and presenter Jess Davies responded.
BBC Radio 4 presenter David Aaronovitch said: "My grandmother couldn’t. Would she have been sent back to Russia? Not let in in the first place?"
One person wrote: "Genuinely had to check this didn’t come from a parody account!
"What about all the Brits living in Spain, Dubai etc. who don’t speak a word of the countries language?"
Another campaigner responded, "thalla's cac," which translates from Scottish Gaelic to "Away and sh*te [yourself]".
