“Scandals like this demonstrate that Labour-run councils can preside over shocking abuses of trust while the party’s leaders conveniently look the other way.“
When Keir Starmer says Labour is “tough on immigration,” we must remember the old adage: actions speak louder than words. Labour’s track record on this issue is abysmal, and the calibre of some of its MPs casts serious doubt on its sincerity.
Take, for example, Peter Lamb, Labour’s new MP for Crawley. His past raises serious questions about the kind of oversight Labour is willing—or unwilling—to provide when it comes to issues like immigration and public accountability.
Taxi Corruption Under Lamb’s Watch
During Lamb’s tenure as leader of Crawley Council from 2014 to 2022, a scandal emerged that epitomises the consequences of weak leadership. Private Eye has laid bare allegations of a major corruption racket in Crawley’s taxi licensing system. Reports claim that mostly Asian drivers paid bribes of up to £35,000 to obtain licences, despite being unable to speak basic English or navigate local roads—two essential requirements for the job. This wasn’t just a minor lapse in oversight; it was a systemic failure that put public safety at risk.
Private detectives provided Crawley Council with damning evidence as early as 2015, and again in 2017 and 2020. Yet, nothing came of it. The council’s silence is deafening. Sussex Police eventually dropped the case in 2021 due to “insufficient evidence,” but key witnesses have since claimed they were never even interviewed. This reeks of a cover-up, incompetence, or perhaps both. And where was Peter Lamb in all of this? Somehow, as council leader, this saga appears to have completely passed him by.
As Conservative Shadow Minister Robert Jenrick says: “Do not expect Labour to reduce immigration when these are the MPs in their party.”
A Snapshot of Labour’s Approach to Governance
The Crawley case is not an isolated incident; it is emblematic of Labour’s broader failure to tackle issues at the root of immigration-related tensions. Instead of addressing legitimate concerns, Labour often labels critics as xenophobic or “far-right.” Meanwhile, scandals like this demonstrate that Labour-run councils can preside over shocking abuses of trust while the party’s leaders conveniently look the other way.
Lamb’s personal gaffes also speak volumes about his judgment—or lack thereof. His now-infamous tweet about winter fuel payments—suggesting that pensioners freezing in their homes was their own “choice”—was as out of touch as it was insensitive. If this is the calibre of MP Labour fields, can we trust them to manage anything as complex as immigration reform?
Starmer’s Empty Promises
Keir Starmer has been trying to position himself as the champion of law and order, claiming his government will “take back our streets”. Yet even today a law he proposes already exists—spiking drinks, for instance, is already a criminal offence under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, punishable by life imprisonment. The fact that Starmer, a former Director of Public Prosecutions, doesn’t appear to know this is staggering. It’s like a baker forgetting how to make bread.
So when Starmer promises to reduce immigration, forgive me if I don’t believe him. This is a party whose MPs and councillors oversee dysfunction, corruption, and chaos—and then shrug it off as someone else’s problem. A party whose leadership lacks the courage or competence to enforce basic standards.
Labour’s True Colours
Let us be clear: Labour is not serious about reducing immigration. Starmer’s rhetoric before the election was a calculated attempt to win back voters in Red Wall seats, but it was just empty words from a party that has consistently ignored or dismissed public concerns on this issue. The great British public were duped.
With MPs like Peter Lamb, Labour’s promises to crack down on immigration are as credible as a chocolate teapot. This is the same party that opened the flood gates for record levels of immigration under Tony Blair and that continues to push for open borders under the guise of “compassion.” They are not tough on immigration—they are soft on corruption, blind to incompetence, and hopelessly out of touch with the British public.
