Labour needs to silence the ugly myths about migrants

First, a rare slice of good news for Keir Starmer. Voters are less worried about the NHS than they were. The number of people citing it as one of the most important issues facing the country has dropped to 35 per cent, its lowest figure for three years, according to More in Common.

- ANDREW GRICE

Voters tell focus groups they are noticing some improvements, reflecting the four million extra NHS appointments since Labour came to power and a slight fall in waiting times in accident and emergency departments.

And now the bad news for Starmer: the NHS has been overtaken as an important issue by immigration, which has risen from just over 30 per cent a year ago to 50 per cent - and is now second only to the cost of living, on 64 per cent.

It's a case of one step forward, two steps back - symbolic of the Starmer government's performance so far.

Rising concern over immigration explains the flurry of announcements in what Downing Street regards as "small boats week" - publication of the “one in, one out” returns agreement with France; a crackdown on social media sites used by the gangs to promote Channel crossings; a plan to speed up the processing of asylum claims; funding for the recruitment of 300 more National Crime Agency officers; and universities being told to ensure foreign students take up places, rather than use them as a backdoor entry route.