🔗 Share this article Racism Making a Comeback in British Politics, Making Citizens Deeply Concerned, the Prime Minister Says Historical racial prejudice is resurfacing within UK politics, which leaves citizens deeply uneasy, the Prime Minister emphasized, alerting how divisive far-right politics are “tearing our country apart”. Addressing Racist Rhetoric and Divisive Politics In conversation with doctor and media figure a well-known TV doctor, Starmer pointed to the Reform UK party of overseeing the revival of racist and divisive politics which many believed was resolved years back”. In the interview, broadcast on a popular morning program this week, the PM also gave his strongest signal suggesting the two-child benefit cap would be lifted in the budget in the coming weeks. Commitment to Combat Child Poverty Asked whether he planned to eliminate this restriction, which charities have said is a major cause of poverty for children across Britain, Starmer responded: “I want to state unequivocally I will strive to drive child poverty down.” He outlined steps the government has already launched such as free school meals, breakfast clubs, and childcare but added: “We need to do more than that, and I can look you in the eye and tell you I am personally committed on reducing child poverty.” Pressed on whether his remarks meant he would lift the two-child cap, Starmer stated “I would not say we plan to reduce poverty among children without being sure that we will be taking various actions in order to do so”. Clear Indications from the Chancellor Rachel Reeves, gave a similarly clear signal on Monday when she told BBC Radio 5 Live that ultimately, children must not be punished if their parents are struggling financially”. Ministers are understood to be preparing to lift the limit entirely, after initially considering gradual removal for bigger households or richer ones. An economic thinktank projects the expense would be roughly £3.5 billion by 2029-30. Ideological Split and National Renewal In the interview, Starmer said the political divide currently in Britain existed between Labour’s “patriotic national renewal” and “the toxic division of Reform” and other right-wing groups who were “tearing our country apart”. “Certain language being used – discriminatory talk, polarizing language – which I believed was resolved decades ago is coming back into politics leaving people very scared,” he said. “We must confront such discrimination, that divisiveness, and affirm with pride that to be British involves caring for others, is to be reasonable, entails tolerance and compassionate, and we’re proud of that.” Echoing Warnings from Wes Streeting The prime minister echoed language used by Wes Streeting, who cautioned recently that a disturbing form of discrimination reminiscent of past decades had become alarmingly frequent once more with healthcare workers were bearing the brunt of it. Streeting said occurrences of both verbal and physical attacks targeting individuals due to race had become so frequent that it was now “tolerated to hold racist views”. “We must end to discrimination in this country and we’ve got to put such harmful attitudes that’s found expression nationally where it belongs and reestablish an environment in this country where it is not socially acceptable to hold racist views,” the Health Secretary stated. Defining Choice for Voters Starmer spoke during a major political gathering this autumn to draw political battle lines between himself and Farage, saying that voters faced a “defining choice”. He explained he was involved in a “fight for the soul of our country”, and argued although voters had “reasonable” concerns regarding unauthorized immigration, existed an ethical boundary that Farage and others had crossed. The PM vowed to “fight” anyone who argued that people who were not white could not be English or British and that households who had lived in Britain for years should be deported, stating those advocating these ideas constituted “an enemy of national renewal”. “If you incite racist violence and hatred, that goes beyond concern: it’s criminal. Our political movement is proud of our flags, but if they are displayed with hateful messages, telling a Chinese takeaway owner to ‘go home’, that is not patriotism; that’s racism,” he informed supporters.