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Long-standing racial prejudice has come back to British politics, which leaves citizens very scared, Keir Starmer warned, alerting that divisive far-right political tactics was “splitting the UK”.

Addressing Discriminatory Rhetoric and Harmful Strategies

Speaking to doctor and media figure Amir Khan, the prime minister accused Nigel Farage’s Reform UK for enabling a return of discriminatory and divisive politics that seemed a thing of the past long ago”.

During the discussion, which aired on ITV’s Lorraine show this week, the PM also gave a clear indication suggesting the limit on child benefits could be removed during the upcoming fiscal announcement in the coming weeks.

Promise to Combat Child Poverty

Asked if he would scrap this restriction, which charities have said is a major cause of poverty for children in the UK, the Prime Minister said: “I want to state unequivocally I will strive to reduce child poverty.”

He outlined steps ministers have already introduced such as free school meals, morning meal programs, and child care support and emphasized: “We must go beyond these efforts, and I can look you in the eye that I will personally focus to driving down childhood poverty.”

Pressed about if his remarks meant he would lift the two-child limit, he said “I would not say we plan to reduce poverty among children unless I was certain that we will be taking several steps in order to do so”.

Strong Signals from Rachel Reeves

Rachel Reeves, provided an equally strong hint earlier this week stating to BBC Radio 5 Live how “in the end, a child should not be penalised if their parents are struggling financially”.

Ministers are understood to be preparing to lift the limit entirely, having originally looked at ways to taper it either for very large families or wealthier families. An economic thinktank projects this would cost roughly £3.5 billion by 2029-30.

Ideological Split and Country’s Revival

During the discussion, Starmer explained the ideological split in the UK now was between the government’s vision for renewal versus “the toxic division of Reform” and others on the right who were “dividing the nation”.

“Certain language currently circulating – racist rhetoric, divisive rhetoric – that many assumed had been addressed long ago has reemerged in political debate leaving people fearful,” he stated.

“It is essential to oppose such discrimination, that divisiveness, and affirm with pride that British identity involves caring for others, is to be reasonable, entails tolerance and compassionate, which we value deeply.”

Reflecting Concerns from Wes Streeting

The prime minister echoed sentiments used by the Health Secretary, who cautioned recently that an “ugly” racism reminiscent of past decades had become worryingly commonplace again and that healthcare workers were primary targets of it.

Streeting noted incidents of both verbal and physical attacks targeting individuals due to race now happened so often that it was now “acceptable to express racism”.

“We’ve got to call time on racism across the UK and we need to place such harmful attitudes that has emerged nationally where it belongs and once again create a climate in this country that rejects racism to hold racist views,” Streeting said.

Defining Choice for the Public

The Prime Minister spoke at the Labour party conference in September to outline clear divisions with his political opponents, stating that the public faced a pivotal moment.

The prime minister explained he was involved in a struggle for the nation’s identity, and argued although the public had “reasonable” concerns about illegal migration, existed “a moral line” which some politicians had crossed.

The PM vowed to challenge anyone claiming that people who were not white were not truly British and that households residing in Britain for years should be deported, saying those advocating these ideas were “against national unity”.

“If you incite racist violence and hatred, that goes beyond concern: it is illegal. Our political movement is proud of our flags, yet if they are painted with hateful messages, targeting a business owner to ‘go home’, that is not patriotism; that is pure discrimination,” he informed activists.