Beyond the Westminster bubble, there’s more to politics than Brexit infighting January 16, 2019 “Chaotic useless bickering rudderless floundering humiliated Tories slump to six-point lead over Labour”, tweeted one of the parliamentary lobby’s wittiest members, Matt Chorley, in response to the latest YouGov poll on Monday. Theresa May’s consistent lead over Jeremy Corbyn is one of her key sources of strength as she goes through this turbulent time. Not only [...]
Government should scrap ‘arbitrary’ migration target and harmful visa cap, says think tank January 14, 2019 The UK should scrap its "arbitrary" net migration target and harmful visa cap, a leading centre-right think tank has proposed. A new report released today by the Institute of Economic Affairs calls the UK's approach to immigration policy "economically damaging" and "too restrictive" when applied to high-skilled workers. The IEA said that as well as scrapping a [...]
Manufacturers face worst staff scarcity since 1989 after Brexit leads to exodus of EU workers January 3, 2019 Manufacturers are struggling with the worst drought of workers in 30 years, as fewer EU workers come into the country in the wake of the Brexit vote. Labour shortages in the sector are at their worst since 1989, according to research, with Brexit-related uncertainty partly to blame. A report by the British Chambers of Commerce today [...]
Sajid Javid suggests those risking English Channel crossing are not ‘genuine’ refugees January 2, 2019 Home secretary Sajid Javid has questioned whether people who cross the English Channel to claim asylum in the UK are "genuine" refugees. Javid, who met Border Force guards during a visit to Dover, urged people not to risk their lives by making the journey from France and suggested that those who were tracked by the UK authorities [...]
Home Secretary Sajid Javid cuts holiday short to deal Channel migrants ‘major incident’ December 29, 2018 Home secretary Sajid Javid has cut his holiday short in order to deal with the growing number of migrants attempting to cross the Channel in dinghies to enter Britain. Javid yesterday declared the issue a “major incident”after almost 70 people were intercepted attempting to reach England over the past three days. He was also seeking an [...]
Sadiq Khan proposes council tax hike to tackle ‘brutal reality’ of violent crime December 20, 2018 London mayor Sadiq Khan has said he will increase council tax by the maximum amount possible to tackle violent crime in the capital. Khan's proposal would see his share of council tax increase by 9 per cent, or £26.28 a year in cash terms, for an average Band D council tax payer, taking the overall precept [...]
The government’s immigration proposals aren’t perfect but they include plenty to cheer about December 19, 2018 Yesterday, this column predicted that the government's immigration white paper would be a pretty rum Christmas present for business. Today, we have to acknowledge that while the proposals don't satisfy everyone (or more accurately, every sector) there are elements to cheer. The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, is known for a more liberal approach to immigration [...]
Immigration after Brexit: Here’s how the City reacted to Sajid Javid’s white paper December 19, 2018 The government has outlined proposals for rules on immigration after the UK leaves the European Union next year, prompting a flurry of responses from business leaders across the City. Unveiled by home secretary Sajid Javid this afternoon, the document said low-skilled workers entering the UK from EU countries will no longer receive automatic approval to work in [...]
Javid sets out post-Brexit immigration rules in hotly anticipated white paper December 19, 2018 Home secretary Sajid Javid has unveiled the government's post-Brexit immigration plans in a white paper this afternoon, with low-skilled workers no longer automatically receiving the right to work in the UK. Javid had said earlier in the day that the plans wouldn't include a specific target to reduce annual net migration to the UK, however Prime Minister [...]
Time for a migration policy based on sense December 19, 2018 Throughout the Brexit process, as the government’s core objectives and red lines have one by one been compromised away, a single aim has remained front, centre, and non-negotiable: end freedom of movement and give Britain control over its future immigration policy. The question, then, is how it will use this power. The long-awaited government white [...]