I was in the room as Keir Starmer ramped up his language on migration ahead of clampdown

Keir Starmer this morning delivered his toughest message yet on immigration as he echoed the Tory vow to "take back control".

In a noticeable ramping up of his language, the PM used an address in Downing Street to warn the UK could become an "island of strangers". And he went on to claim that a reliance on lower-paid workers from overseas is "contributing to the forces that are slowly pulling our country apart".

It looks a far cry from the former human rights lawyer who took a knee a few years back, much to the anger of Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and co. The PM of 2025 wants the country to know that he won't stand for weak border control, long seen as a Labour weakness.

He set out his message in an unusually early press conference, with hacks summoned at 8.30am on a Monday - almost unheard of in Westminster circles. It was called ahead of a long-awaited white paper on immigration which includes a number of tough measures designed to bring numbers down.

He knows it will spark a backlash. The controversial decision to close a skilled worker route for care workers has already sparked anger among bosses in the sector. And the hardline measures set the scene for another battle with the Labour left.

But Mr Starmer wanted the country to know he was ready for the fight in his televised address. And in a show of solidarity, there was a strong showing of Cabinet heavy-hitters, with Rachel Reeves, Yvette Cooper, Jonathan Reynolds, Bridget Phillipson, Wes Streeting and Seema Malhotra taking seats in the front row.

Chancellor Ms Reeves watched on as he said the "link doesn't hold" between high immigration and a buoyant economy. He kicked off by denying the plans were being floated to bring Reform voters back into the fold. But with Farage and co breathing down his neck, No10 has clearly decided that getting tough on immigration is the way to go.

A roomful of hacks heard him vow that net migration, which quadrupled in four years under the Tories, will plummet. "Now, make no mistake – this plan means migration will fall," he said.

"That’s a promise. But I want to be very clear on this. If we do need to take further steps, if we do need to do more to release pressure on housing and our public services, then mark my words – we will."

He said: "This strategy will finally take back control of our borders and close the book on a squalid chapter for our politics, our economy, and our country." And making sure the message hit home he added: "The experiment is over. We will deliver what you have asked for – time and again – and we will take back control of our borders."

The PM said in his speech that this was not a knee-jerk response, but an ideological crusade. He said: "Because I know, on a day like today, people who like politics will try to make this all about politics, about this or that strategy, targeting these voters, responding to that party. No. I am doing this because it is right, because it is fair, and because it is what I believe in."

Mr Starmer went on to say that a reliance on immigration was limiting opportunities for young people. He said: "You cannot simply pull up a drawbridge, let nobody in, and think that is an economy that would work. That would hurt the pay packets of working people – without question. But at the same time, we do have to ask why parts of our economy seem almost addicted to importing cheap labour rather than investing in the skills of people who are here and want a good job in their community. "