UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled plans to dramatically reshape Britain’s immigration system. His new immigration rules target language requirements and tightening pathways to settlement. However, the announcement has ignited a firestorm of criticism across the African continent and beyond,
Under the soon-to-be-published Immigration White Paper, Starmer’s Labour government is proposing that all migrants and their adult dependants prove a higher level of English proficiency as a condition for entry and integration. Most visa holders would have to double their settlement period from five to ten years, and adult dependants will now need to demonstrate basic language skills. This category was previously not required to speak English.
Starmer defended the reforms by describing the current immigration system as “broken,” blaming an over-reliance on “cheap labour” in key sectors like engineering. He insisted, “When people come to our country, they should also commit to integration and to learning our language.”
“Colonial Irony” — African Voices Clap Back
The UK’s domestic conversation is largely framed around national sovereignty and job protectionism. But African audiences and commentators have responded with scathing satire, historical reminders, and a growing call for reciprocity.
Kenyan lawyer and political commentator Ahmednasir Abdullahi captured the prevailing sentiment in a widely shared tweet:
“I agree with you 💯 Mr. Prime Minister. Just as you decreed that our forefathers learn the English language as a condition precedent for their colonisation.”
Tendai Chirau, a Zimbabwean political strategist, argued for reciprocity:
“If the UK requires English language proficiency tests for foreign immigrants, then African nations should equally require British migrants to demonstrate proficiency in a local African language. What’s good for the goose must be good for the gander.”
This wave of criticism hasn’t just come from outside Britain. Kingsley Sheteh Newuh, political economist and UK-based African Labour Party member, expressed dismay over the direction of the party he supports:
“As a Labour member, this breaks my heart. PM Keir Starmer seems to have lost the plot. More than half the world speaks English because of colonialism. Weaponising immigration like this isn’t common sense. It is pandering to the far right. It’s a betrayal of Labour’s values.”
Newuh’s comment fundamentally addresses the debate. Is Labour genuinely reforming immigration in the public interest, or is it merely replicating the rhetoric and tactics of its right-wing rivals?
From Abuja to Accra: “Hypocrisy is Showing”
For many African observers, the policies evoke a sharp sense of double standards. The notion that migrants must “earn” the right to live in the UK by mastering English clashes with the legacy of colonialism, where African populations were not only stripped of their languages but often forcibly educated in English.
“When you Brits came to Africa to loot our resources, did you speak our language?” asked Nigerian commentator @ceasarokoli.
Critics expanded their focus beyond just language requirements. Many view the broader policy shifts — especially the end of recruitment for care workers from overseas and the lengthened path to settlement — as disproportionately targeting migrants from Africa, South Asia, and the Caribbean.
UK’s Image in Africa Faces Erosion
Britain’s new stance has potential diplomatic consequences. “If this policy is implemented without exemptions or support mechanisms,” noted a Nairobi-based migration scholar, “we could see backlash not just from migrants, but from African governments, many of whom have longstanding bilateral labour agreements with the UK.”
Chaka, a South African Twitter user, stated bluntly:
“No European will be allowed to live and work in Africa unless they speak at least one local language. Starting immediately.”
The policy has also ignited broader questions around the treatment of British expatriates abroad. UK citizens living in Spain and Portugal — often referred to as “expats” rather than “immigrants”—are seldom subject to language mandates.
Marina Purkiss, a British political commentator, posed the hypocrisy clearly:
“Does the same go for British ‘expats’? What would you make of it if say the Spanish enacted the same policy to Brits? Pathetic pandering that will get you nowhere.”
Practical vs. Symbolic Integration
Starmer’s defenders argue that language proficiency is a key to avoiding exploitation and ensuring equal access to jobs and services. Labour has cited a 2021 Oxford study showing that poor English skills correlate with unemployment and marginalisation.
But even that argument has found critics. Twitter user @andrewhesselden pushed back:
“This is a populist, discriminatory practice and penalises those with cognitive difficulties, dementia or learning difficulties. We don’t expect everyone to know engineering, or medicine. Why must they be experts in my own profession (languages)?”
Migration Politics in a Populist Age
The Labour government’s sharp turn comes after a strong showing by the anti-immigration Reform UK party in recent local elections. Critics accuse Starmer of mimicking right-wing populism rather than pushing progressive reforms.
Richard Tice, Reform UK’s deputy leader, was blunt:
“Our local election results show the public wants tougher immigration controls. Labour is only acting now because they’re scared of losing working-class voters.”
Back in Africa, the sentiment is simple but powerful: don’t lecture us on language, culture, or integration when your own history and citizens continue to benefit from free movement and colonial legacies.
As the UK tightens its gates, African voices are demanding mutual respect — and perhaps even a linguistic reckoning.
“Maybe the UAE should do the same to the English that can’t speak Arabic,” suggested Tam Khan, echoing the calls for global reciprocity.
The next parliamentary session in 2026 will decide the legal fate of these proposals. However, the verdict is already in: Africans view this policy as not only restrictive but deeply hypocritical.
