'I am SICK of it!' Emily Carver explodes at 'pathetic' Keir Starmer over double U-turn: 'He’s treating the public like fools!'

The welfare reform U-turn saw Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall make two key concessions after more than 100 Labour backbenchers signed an amendment to halt the legislation.

In a separate U-turn, Starmer has expressed "deep regret" over his controversial "island of strangers" speech delivered last month.

Discussing the recent changes on GB News, Tom Harwood said: "The Prime Minister has U-turned on his language around migration.

"About a month ago, he gave a speech where he said we don’t want to become an island of strangers with separated communities and all the rest of it. And now he says sorry, that was too much like Enoch Powell."

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Emily said: "I mean, does he agree with anything else he said in that speech? Because he said quite a lot. He said the Conservatives had a failed experiment when it came to high levels of immigration which is quite a punchy thing for a Labour politician to say."

Tom added: "He also said something along the lines of I’ve always believed in immigration restriction. Which struck me as odd at the time, given his long and varied history of campaigning against immigration restrictions."

Emily pointed: "Hasn’t he signed letters and tried to stop deportations aplenty in the past? I mean, is this a new leaf, Tom? Or perhaps different principles for different times?"

Tom said: "Very different principles. It’s not just about the deporting of foreign criminals, he’s previously campaigned against he also acted on behalf of environmental protesters who broke into an RAF base.

"And now he’s proscribing Palestine Action for doing exactly the same thing, breaking into an RAF base. I mean, he’s either had a Damascene conversion or perhaps he just believes the last thing the last person told him."

Emily fumed: "Do you know what? I’m actually sick of it. And I think a lot of people are sick of it. Just tell us what you think, and we’ll judge whether we agree with you or not. Seriously, it’s not that hard. It’s taking the public for mugs.

"Oh, just tell them this one day that’ll appeal to the Reform-y types. Then the next day, tell The Observer you’re not a racist and don’t like Enoch Powell, that’ll please them too. It’s pathetic."

The Prime Minister told The Observer: "I wouldn't have used those words if I had known they were, or even would be interpreted as an echo of Powell. I had no idea – and my speechwriters didn't know either."

His original speech had warned that without fair immigration rules "we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together".

Critics noted the similarity to Enoch Powell's 1968 "rivers of blood" speech, in which Powell said immigrants "found themselves made strangers in their own country".

Starmer revealed the speech came just hours after his family home was targeted in a firebomb attack, admitting he "wasn't in the best state to make a big speech".

In the early hours of this morning, Downing Street also admitted that Starmer was making three major concessions to prevent the biggest rebellion of his premiership.

A No10 spokesman said: "We have listened to MPs who support the principle of reform but are worried about the pace of change for those already supported by the system.

"The package will preserve the social security system for those who need it by putting it on a sustainable footing, provide dignity for those unable to work, support those who can and reduce anxiety for those currently in the system.

"Our reforms are underpinned by Labour values and our determination to deliver the change the country voted for last year."