The Mayor accused far-right rhetoric in Britain, Europe and the United States of fuelling what he called a climate of “hysteria, hatred and fearmongering” around migration…reports Asian Lite News
Sadiq Khan has warned against what he called “the relentless demonisation of immigrants” as he urged politicians to “reset” the debate on migration in a speech to the Fabian Society, arguing that falling net migration could undermine London’s economic prospects and weaken its workforce. The Mayor of London said the capital had a plan to boost its economy by £107bn by 2035 but suggested that achieving that target would be harder if current trends in migration continued.
Speaking to the think-tank, Khan said he wanted a debate based on what the country and the capital needed rather than what he described as “hysteria, hatred and fearmongering”. He told delegates: “I believe we progressives must be at the forefront of starting a new conversation on our own terms. Not one dictated by the hysteria, hatred and fearmongering of the far-right, but based on an honest assessment of the migration we need – given the huge benefits it brings.”
The mayor linked his remarks to a broader political climate across Europe and the United States, saying: “The resurgence of far-right populism and nativism means that the idea that we can be diverse, united and prosperous is under threat like never before.” He referred to the White House’s National Security Strategy released by Donald Trump last month, which warned that Europe was at risk of “civilisational erasure”, a claim Khan dismissed as “preposterous”.
He went on to say: “The far-right is spreading the same message in Europe, with the National Rally in France, the AfD in Germany, the PVV in the Netherlands and the Brothers of Italy. Over here, Reform and the Tories are dancing to the same tune. They paint a dystopian picture of London as a city that’s fallen. And let’s be frank – they do so because they can’t stand what London represents – a city that’s diverse, progressive and thriving, with a Mayor who happens to be a Muslim.”
In a passage that drew strong reaction from supporters and critics alike, Khan added: “The fact that this is the greatest city in the world makes a mockery of their entire worldview. So they construct lies, seek to manufacture an enemy, pit citizens against one another for political gain, and stoke fear by blaming ‘the other’ for all of society’s ills. This rhetoric isn’t just false – it’s cruel, callous and deeply dangerous. That’s why we must fight back against this narrative that diversity is inherently bad for our society, and therefore all immigration is too.”
His intervention comes as new figures point to a marked fall in applications for key work visas following the tightening of migration controls last year. Applications for the health and care worker visa fell sharply in 2025, with 61,000 people applying, down just over half from 123,300 in 2024. The route has been central to staffing the NHS and social care sector, which faces long-term pressures from an ageing population and rising demand.
Skilled worker visas also dropped significantly. In 2025, 85,500 people applied under the scheme, a fall of 36 per cent from 132,700 the previous year. The decline has coincided with changes introduced last summer to restrict the arrival of foreign nationals, including ending overseas recruitment of care workers and raising the minimum salary threshold for skilled workers to £41,700.
International student numbers have also been affected. Under rules introduced by the Conservative government, most overseas students are no longer allowed to bring dependants to the UK. As a result, applications for study visas fell from 618,900 in 2023 to 447,900 in 2025, a drop that universities have warned could have financial and academic consequences.
Khan argued that such trends risk hitting London particularly hard, given its reliance on international labour across sectors ranging from health and social care to hospitality, construction and technology. He warned that an ageing population and a shrinking workforce could undermine growth and public services if migration continued to fall.
While the mayor did not call for the reversal of specific policies, his speech placed him at odds with the direction of travel on migration set by both the current Labour government and the previous Conservative administration. Labour’s measures last summer were designed to cut overall numbers and respond to public concern about high net migration, while ministers have said they want to focus on training and employing domestic workers.
