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Prime Minister has been dealt a fresh blow by a former member of his party, after Jacqui Smith, Minister for Women and Equalities, appeared on BBC Newsnight in a "car crash" interview. The leader has come under intense criticism following the launch of his immigration white paper on Monday, 12th May.

Sir Keir, 62, gave a speech in where he warned the UK is at risk of becoming an "island of strangers" because integration has failed. Outrage followed from many, including Labour backbenchers, who critcised him over his choice of language, comparing it to former Conservative leader Enoch Powell's "repellent" "rivers of blood" speech in 1968.

Following the press conference, suspended , took to social media to shared her disgust over the PM's comments. She wrote: "The Prime Minister imitating Enoch Powell's 'Rivers of Blood' speech is sickening. That speech fuelled decades of racism and division. Echoing it today is a disgrace. It adds to anti-migrant rhetoric that puts lives at risk. Shame on you, Keir Starmer."

During her segment on BBC Newsnight, presenter Victoria Derbyshire asked Jacqui Smith for her thoughts on Sultana's comments and if she agreed with her. Victoria said: [Zarah Sultana] said today that the Prime Minister was imitating Enoch Powell's 'rivers of blood' speech."

Quick to defend her leader, Jacqui replied: "I just think she's wrong. Labour and Labour governments have always listened to people in terms of their concerns about their security. The opportunities that they want to have for themselves and their children and when we see something that we understand that people believe is unfair then we're going to take action on that. That's what the British people would expect us to do, that's what Labour governments do.

The clip was shared on X, where people rushed to condemn the education minister. One user wrote: "Jacqui Smith is an absolute disgrace and this interview is a car crash." Another person added: "No surprise to hear rightwing Blarite Jacqui Smith enthusiastically endorsing Starmer's repellent 'rivers of blood' speech." And a third person enthused: "Baroness Jacqui Smith of Malvern should consider running for the leadership of REFORM."

After having her name appear on Newsnight, Zarah took to social media herself to clap back at Jacqui's comments. Sharing the clip of the programme, she advised her followers: "A good rule of thumb: if Jacqui Smith says you're wrong, you're probably right. P.S. She voted for the illegal Iraq war - that killed more than a million people."

Zarah isn't the only MP to slam Starmer's choice of words. Sheffield Hallam MP Olivia Blake suggested the phrase could "risk legitimising the same far-right violence we saw in last year's summer riots". Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who lost the Labour whip last year, also accused Sir Keir of "reflecting the language" of Enoch Powell's infamous "rivers of blood" speech in the 1960s.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the Prime Minister's language and disagreed with his critics: "I think part of the point that he (Sir Keir) is making is that we have to recognise people have come to the UK through generations to do really important jobs in our NHS, founding our biggest businesses, doing some of the most difficult jobs, but it's because that's important, the system has to be controlled and managed, and it just hasn't been."