To wean the United Kingdom off its immigration dependency, cheap labour days must end.
Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer told Business Leaders
Sir Keir Starmer called for an economic plan to help train British workers to move the country away from its low-pay model.
He promised to be pragmatic about immigration and accepted that skilled workers from abroad are needed. He has been very vocal about his stance on immigration, but he later refused to commit to fixed numbers.
The level of immigration under his approach would come down in a few areas, but he did not want to hold back skills that we required in the UK.
Sir Keir Starmer said to BBC Political Editor Chris Mason
The last few years have shown that arbitrary figures plucked from the air won’t work for anyone, so it’s time to come up with something different!
The demand for migrant labour is at an all-time high, with businesses calling on the government to bring in more immigrants.
In Birmingham, he addressed business figures following that of PM Rishi Sunak on Monday.
Controlling our borders was one of the immediate benefits from Brexit and illegal migration is currently our number one priority.
Mr Sunak told Business Leaders
There is a need for more foreign workers in order to stimulate economic growth as Britain faces an ongoing deep recession. Immigration is often argued against, but it’s the only thing that can increase our growth potential.
Tony Danker, Director General of the CBI
During the Covid-19 pandemic, there was considerably less migration than in previous years. The UK has seen a slight decrease in the number of European Union citizens moving to Great Britain since it left the European Union.
The Office for Budget Responsibility has forecasted that net migration will be on a decline, with the number expected to settle at 205K per year by 2026.
In his speech, Sir Keir Starmer set out what kind of immigration policy a Labour government would have if the party won the next general election. He has promised an immigration system that works better to take care of the needs of businesses and recognises how important it is to bring in skilled workers from abroad.
He said that business leaders should bring forward a plan for higher skills and training, which will lead to better pay or conditions and there is also a need to invest in new technology as well!
Immigration has been the driving force behind our economic growth, but it’s time to start thinking of ways that will help British citizens grow instead. We must invest more in training workers who are already in the country.
When asked about his thoughts on net migration, Sir Keir said that he expected numbers to fall in areas where there had been an over-reliance upon workers from abroad. However, he added that if businesses want to employ talents from abroad they should not be held back.
He also said he would tackle the NHS’s waiting lists and help to improve mental health support to help people get back to work.
The pandemic has caused one million people in their 50s to leave work, which is making it harder for employers and businesses alike.
In his speech, Sir Keir outlined a number of Labour’s plans to reform. These included:
- Introduce plans and training to improve pay and conditions for skills that require foreign recruitment
- Speed up the visa delays to avoid labour shortages
- Ensure all employers which are able to get sponsor visas should meet decent standards
- Reform the Migration Advisory Committee to project the future trends
He claims that they are changing Labour from within and turning it upside down!
Keir spoke to the BBC last week, mentioning that there are too many people coming into NHS from overseas.
