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Long-standing racism has come back within British politics, and it creates very scared, Keir Starmer warned, cautioning that polarizing far-right political tactics was “tearing our country apart”.

Tackling Racist Language and Divisive Politics

Speaking with doctor and media figure a well-known TV doctor, Starmer accused Nigel Farage’s Reform UK of overseeing the revival of racist and divisive political discourse which many believed was resolved years back”.

In the interview, broadcast on a popular morning program this week, the PM also gave his strongest signal that the limit on child benefits might be scrapped in the budget in the coming weeks.

Commitment to Reduce Child Poverty

When questioned if he planned to eliminate the limit, as noted by advocacy groups is a major cause of child poverty across Britain, Starmer responded: “I can tell you in no uncertain terms I am committed to reduce child poverty.”

He outlined steps the government has already launched such as free school meals, morning meal programs, and childcare and emphasized: “We need to do more than that, and I assure you that I am dedicated on reducing child poverty.”

When pressed about if his comments indicated he would lift the two-child cap, Starmer said he “wouldn’t be telling you we are going to drive down child poverty without being sure that measures will be introduced various actions in order to do so”.

Strong Indications from Rachel Reeves

The Chancellor, provided a similarly clear signal on Monday when she told BBC Radio 5 Live that “in the end, no child should suffer due to their family’s financial situation”.

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 richer ones. An economic thinktank has estimated the expense would be roughly £3.5 billion in the coming years.

Ideological Split and Country’s Revival

In the interview, the Prime Minister said the ideological split in the UK now was between Labour’s “patriotic national renewal” and “the toxic division of Reform” and others on the right who were “tearing our country apart”.

“Parts of the discourse we’re hearing – discriminatory talk, divisive rhetoric – that many assumed was resolved in the past has reemerged in political debate and it makes people feel deeply afraid,” he said.

“We have to stand up to that racism, that division, and we have to proudly say that to be British involves caring for others, is about being fair, is to be tolerant and compassionate, and this is our pride.”

Reflecting Warnings from Wes Streeting

Starmer echoed sentiments used by the Health Secretary, who cautioned earlier this month how an “ugly” racism similar to past decades was now alarmingly frequent once more with healthcare workers were bearing the brunt of it.

Streeting said occurrences of verbal and physical abuse targeting individuals due to race had become so frequent that it had become “socially acceptable to be racist”.

“We must end to discrimination across the UK and we need to place such harmful attitudes that has emerged in our country back in its box and reestablish a climate in this country that rejects racism to be racist,” the Health Secretary said.

Critical Decision for the Public

Starmer used his speech during a major political gathering in September to draw political battle lines with his political opponents, saying that the public confronted a crucial decision.

He said he was engaged in a “fight for the soul of our country”, and argued although the public had “reasonable” concerns regarding unauthorized immigration, there was “a moral line” that Farage and others had crossed.

Starmer vowed to challenge anyone claiming that non-white individuals did not belong and that families residing in the UK for generations must be removed, stating those advocating these ideas were “an enemy of national renewal”.

“If you incite racial attacks and hatred, that is not expressing concern: it’s criminal. This party – this great party – values national symbols, but if they are displayed alongside graffiti, telling a Chinese takeaway owner to ‘go home’, that’s not pride; that’s racism,” he told activists.