Does the BBC’s Gary Lineker row show that the government has a problem with football? March 12, 2023 The weather forecast finished and then suddenly there it was: the BBC’s hurried replacement for Match of the Day following its spectacular bungling of the Gary Lineker row. Shorn of its theme tune, opening title, studio, presenter, pundits, commentators and about an hour of running time, this was bleak and surreal; a sort of post-apocalyptic [...]
UK immigration hits record levels despite labour shortages March 8, 2023 Immigration to the UK has hit record levels, despite labour shortages in key sectors, amid a fresh wave of public positivity towards arrivals. In the year ending in June 2022, long-term immigration into the UK was around 1.1m, up by 435,000 on the previous annual figure. Employment-related migration fell in vital sectors such as hospitality [...]
Serco’s revenues surge as UK ‘immigration contracts’ offset a tumble in Covid testing work February 28, 2023 British contractor Serco said its revenues continued to grow in 2022 as surging UK government demand for its ‘immigration services’ offset a drop in Covid-related work. Serco said its overall revenues increased by £109m to £4.53bn in 2022, despite a £480m drop in income from work surrounding Covid-19. Higher revenues from Serco’s businesses running [...]
Despite Britain’s Brexit borders, immigration at record 1m a year to become ‘new normal’ in UK December 19, 2022 Britain must prepare for a new era of high immigration caused by UK domestic need and changes in global economics and politics, a new think-tank paper said today. The post-pandemic immigration rate of 1.1m arrivals a year could be the start of a trend towards historically high migration levels in the coming decades, according to [...]
Exclusive: Tougher Brexit transfer rules not helping English players in Premier League November 8, 2022 Brexit has drastically shrunk the pool of footballers available to English clubs without having any clear benefit to the prospects of homegrown talent in the Premier League. The findings are revealed in a major new study by football consultancy Analytics FC and law firm Fragomen shared with City A.M. and due to be published this [...]
UK risks exodus of science firms with hard-line immigration stance October 13, 2022 Science and technology businesses are bailing out of the UK amid strict limitations on visas for oversees talent. One in six firms have plans to relocate abroad over the next three years, according to research by consultancy Ridge and Partners, with nearly a third of businesses polled being hit by the government’s visa limits. Liz [...]
Channel migrants face ban from claiming asylum in Britain in new govt crackdown on illegal arrivals October 4, 2022 Under plans due to be announced by the Home Secretary, migrants crossing the Channel will reportedly face a ban from claiming asylum in Britain. At the Conservative Party conference, Suella Braverman will use her first major speech since taking on the role to set out the proposals, according to The Times. The new laws – [...]
Serco snaps up immigration services firm ORS for £39m September 1, 2022 Government outsourcing giant Serco has snapped up Swiss specialist immigration firm ORS in a £39m deal, the firm announced this morning.
Businesses’ needs forgotten as Truss and Sunak up anti-immigration rhetoric August 1, 2022 As ballots start to land on the doormats of Conservative party members this morning, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak have entered into what has been branded an “arms race” to tackle illegal migration. Both are playing a game of one-up-manship on who will limit the most people coming into the UK across the Channel. The [...]
Travellers to the UK will answer ‘suitability questions’ and undergo ‘automated border screening’ in new immigration plans July 21, 2022 Travellers to the UK will need to answer a set of “suitability questions” and have “automated border screening” without speaking to border force agents as part of the Home Office’s new immigration plans. Home Secretary Priti Patel set out the plans today as part of the country’s new “contactless” digital border. The Permission to Travel [...]