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  "path": "/opinion/maternity-leave-uk-labour-keir-starmer",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-22T12:09:10.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Membership"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nThis week I made my official return to GB News after nine months or so on maternity leave – and it already feels like I never left.\n\nSure, some things have changed. Tom has a new haircut, and I have a small child. But in the political realm, it feels like Groundhog Day.\nKeir Starmer is still in office… just about.\n\nRachel Reeves still appears to think the cure for the cost-of-living crisis is making sure nobody can afford to live.\n\nThe Government still seems to think policing our borders is something we can outsource to the French.\n\nBut at least we’ve got former Health Secretary Wes Streeting to tell us all what patriotism is – a man who has about as much ingenuity as an NHS GP appointment booking system.\n\nAnyway, the government has at least been able to claim one success this week: last year, net immigration fell to 171,000, about 50% down on the year before.\n\nThe Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood says she’s delighted that the government is “restoring order and control to our borders”.\nBut is this really a win for Britain?\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe figures show that still a whopping 813,000 people immigrated to the UK, while 642,000 emigrated out of the UK.\n\nThose leaving included 246,000 British nationals - many of whom will be young, ambitious and enterprising.\n\nCould it be that instead of attracting the best, brightest and most culturally compatible people to this country, we’re doing the exact opposite?\n\nLabour ministers also gloated that the use of asylum hotels is down by a third since its peak. Again, on the surface, great.\n\nScratch a little, and you find that the only reason we have fewer hotels in use is that they’re being moved to other accommodations, including HMOs on a street near you.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIndeed, last summer we had 129,980 asylum seekers and Afghans living in Home Office accommodation, and now we have well over 136,000.\n\nSo, again. This is a worse situation, not a better one.\n\nAnd then there’s the economy. Unsurprisingly, no mention of rising unemployment as Rachel Reeves threw us a bone in the form of free summer bus trips for children.\n\nI know, like me, you’ll find it hard to stay positive.\n\nIt often feels like we’re totally helpless, faced with politicians unwilling to, and incapable of, dealing with the huge problems we face as a nation.\nAll I can say is we’re in this together, and we’ll keep fighting for the country we love.",
  "title": "After taking nine months maternity leave, I've returned to find Britain is stuck in a political groundhog day"
}