Anti-migrant rhetoric has become increasingly mainstream in British politics, with politicians across the spectrum blaming immigration for straining public services.
Yet, experts warn that the NHS — one of the UK’s most vital institutions — could collapse without its migrant workforce.
Critics argue that political discourse around migration has shifted sharply to the right, with Labour leader Keir Starmer accused of adopting populist tones once associated with the Conservative Party. Despite later expressing regret over his phrasing, Starmer’s claim that Britain risks becoming an “island of strangers” echoes language once used by Enoch Powell.
Starmer’s Labour Party has proposed a range of new immigration restrictions under its White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System (May 2025). The measures include visa caps, higher qualification thresholds for skilled workers, limits on overseas recruitment in care roles, and a longer qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). A new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill would also expand detention and deportation powers.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives have suggested automatic deportation for foreign nationals convicted of crimes, while Reform UK’s Nigel Farage has called for ILR to be abolished entirely. He claims, without evidence, that “around 800,000 migrants will soon qualify for ILR,” alleging many “don’t work, have never worked, and will never work.” Farage argues his plan could save £230 billion — a figure widely dismissed by experts.
However, research consistently shows that migrants are vital to the NHS. About one in five NHS workers are non-UK nationals, including one-third of doctors and one-quarter of nurses. The health service currently faces over 110,000 vacancies, and without migrant staff, experts warn hospitals would be forced to scale back services immediately.
It takes years to train new NHS professionals — more than a decade for a consultant doctor and at least three years for a nurse — meaning domestic recruitment cannot replace the migrant workforce in the near term. Moreover, the government’s refusal to adequately fund training places has only deepened the crisis.
Contrary to anti-migrant claims, undocumented migrants tend to use fewer health services than the general population due to fears of deportation or high costs. The Home Office estimates that so-called “health tourism” represents only 0.3% of total NHS spending — a negligible amount.
The rise in anti-immigrant sentiment has also contributed to growing racism within the healthcare sector. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has reported a surge in calls to its racial abuse advice line between 2022 and 2025, while warning that the NHS “could cease to exist” if new visa restrictions are introduced.
To counter the narrative blaming migrants for NHS pressures, campaign group Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) has organised a rally titled *NHS in Crisis: Migrants Not to Blame*, to be held at St Anne’s Church in Soho on Thursday, 20 November.
Speakers will include Zarah Sultana MP, Green Party leader Zack Polanski, A&E doctor Andrew Meyerson, Unite’s health sector equalities lead Obi Amadi, and UNISON mental health nurse Adekunle Akinola, among others.
Campaigners say this marks the beginning of a broader movement to defend migrant workers and challenge the “racist misinformation” that continues to dominate the immigration debate in Britain.
