MP John Spellar tells bosses to train UK workers not recruit from abroad
Bleating business bosses should do more to train UK workers instead of relying on cheap labour from the EU, according to MP John Spellar.
The Labour MP for Warley delivered the blunt message after the CBI called on the Government to scrap net migration targets post-Brexit to allow visa-free entry into the UK.
Bosses fear strict immigration controls will leave them unable to fill vacancies, but Mr Spellar said a reliance on overseas recruitment has been 'a sticking plaster' over the country's failure to train its own youngsters.
Citing the example of nurses, the Warley MP said hospitals had been left with little choice but to recruit foreign staff due to the Tory Government and 'useless NHS bureaucrats' slashing training places.
"Recruiting from abroad has been a sticking plaster over their failure in this and many other sectors and it’s time to call a halt to it," he said.
The CBI, which represents British businesses, said it wants a new immigration policy that ensures control but means the UK remains open to the skills the country needs.
This means putting an end to 'blunt targets' and making it easier for firms to sponsor non-EU workers, the CBI said.
Future
In a report drawing on evidence from 129,000 firms across 18 sectors, the CBI said immigration policy needs to shift away from attempting to reduce numbers and should instead be focused on ensuring that people coming to the UK make a positive contribution to the economy.
Josh Hardie, CBI deputy director-general, said: "This is no longer a theoretical debate. It’s about the future of our nation. Openness and control must not be presented as opposites.
"Scrapping blunt targets, ensuring all who come to the UK contribute and using the immigration dividend to support public services will add to public confidence.
“Many sectors are already facing shortages, from nurses to software engineers – so fast, sustainable, evidence-based action is needed.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher. Get it wrong, and the UK risks having too few people to run the NHS, pick fruit or deliver products to stores around the country."
Mr Hardie added: “For Global Britain to succeed, the UK must send the right signals that show it remains open and welcoming to the world.
"That means putting migration on the table in trade talks to get us a better deal, first with the EU and then other countries, where it is clear existing visa restrictions inhibit trade and foreign direct investment."
