Diane Abbott condemns Keir Starmer's immigration speech as 'fundamentally racist' - 'Contrary to British history!'

Speaking to demonstrators, Abbott said: "I thought that was a fundamentally racist thing to say. It is contrary to Britain's history."

The veteran Labour MP, who has served Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987, also criticised Starmer's assertion that mass immigration had done "incalculable damage" to Britain.

Abbott drew direct comparisons between Starmer's rhetoric and Enoch Powell's infamous 1968 "Rivers of Blood" speech. "He talked about closing the book on a squalid chapter for our politics – immigrants represent a squalid chapter," she told the crowd.

The Mother of the House defended immigrants' contributions to Britain, invoking her own family history.

"My parents came to this country in the 50s. They were not strangers. They helped to build this country," Abbott said.

She dismissed Starmer's claim about immigration damage, stating: "He talked about how he thought immigration has done incalculable damage to this green and pleasant land, which, of course, is nonsense – immigrants built this land."

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Abbott also accused the Prime Minister of mimicking Reform UK's approach to immigration.

"I think Keir Starmer is quite wrong to say that the way that you beat Reform is to copy Reform," she said.

Other Labour figures have joined the criticism of Starmer's language.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell called the comments "shockingly divisive" and said they "reflected the language of Enoch Powell".

Zarah Sultana, who has the Labour whip suspended, described the PM "imitating" Powell's speech as "sickening".

Labour MP Olivia Blake said: "Moves to cast migrants as strangers are divisive and hostile."

A Government source insisted Sir Keir had not been aware of any similarity with Powell's speech, adding: "It was absolutely not a reference to Powell. The PM's speech was about the need for integration."

The anti-austerity march was organised by The People's Assembly, which criticised "Keir Starmer's Government is making spending cuts that target the poorest, most vulnerable in society."

Thousands of left-wing demonstrators gathered in central London to protest against the Government's programme of spending cuts and welfare reform.

The event featured representatives from the Green Party, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, the National Education Union and the Revolutionary Communist Party.

A spokesman for The People's Assembly said: "Real tough choices would be for a Labour Government to tax the rich and their hidden wealth, to fund public services, fair pay, investment in communities and the NHS."