Keir Starmer’s shameless volte face from Remainer-in-Chief to a pro-controlled immigration Labour leader has had all the subtlety of a bulldozer. Today he told the CBI, “our common goal must be to help the British economy off its immigration dependency… let me tell you, the days when low pay and cheap labour are part of the British way on growth must end.”

Guido doesn’t need to tell co-conspirators just how fervently Sir Keir defended, and fought for the retention of, free movement during the Brexit years. Even after Boris’s 2019 Brexit majority, and a clean break on free movement guaranteed, Sir Keir ran a leadership election campaign ardently calling for the retention of cheap labour. He even wrote a letter responding to the Labour for Freedom of Movement campaign arguing:

“Free movement has been hugely beneficial – both to the UK and the EU. It has allowed millions of EU and UK citizens to live, travel, study and work across the EU. EU citizens have and continue to make an invaluable contribution to our public services such as our NHS. I believe that should be protected as we leave the EU, and I am very concerned at the impact that Johnson’s plans to end free movement will inevitably have on our economy, migrants’ rights and the freedom for people to work and live in the EU27. Labour need to be clear and vocal in our support for migrants’ rights as we leave the EU.”

Will the real Sir Keir please stand up?