James Dyson criticises Tory push for tougher immigration rules
Sir James Dyson made a barely concealed attack on Tory party policy yesterday, while announcing a £12m grant to a design engineering school with chancellor George Osborne.
The pair were visiting the new Dyson School of Design Engineering when the inventor said: “I think it’s important that people who have chosen to come and read engineering and science here, particularly at post-graduate level, can stay here.” He continued: “I’m sure they want to stay here because they’ve come to study here, and it’s vital we hang on to them.”
The comments are embarrassing for Theresa May and other senior Conservatives, who are pushing for further restrictions on immigration.
Osborne and Dyson were though in complete agreement over getting more women into engineering, maths and science, with Dyson highlighting that 44 per cent of applicants to be in the first intake of the Dyson school are women.
Osborne welcomed this too, commenting: “Of course you’ve got to change a whole load of attitudes and assumptions in society, but I think the more that women see role models, the more they meet, as we’ve just done here, some fantastic women who are on the course here, they will see that this is a great career for them.”