Growth pains

IT is important that some perspective is retained on immigration, if only to prevent the policy process becoming even more inflamed. The Government is now powerless to limit migration from within the European Union. This must be noted. It should also be remembered that migrant labour from around the world helps form the backbone to institutions like the National Health Service.

Without overseas labour – whether it be highly-skilled surgeons or people undertaking important, but menial jobs like cleaning – the NHS will not function. Nevertheless, the status quo cannot persist, given warnings that white British people will be in a minority by 2066 if present levels of immigration remain unchecked. As such, Ministers must abide by the Migrant Advisory Committee's recommendation to cut the number of non-EU workers coming to Britain.

Of course, Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, is right to voice his concerns about how such a draconian approach might impact upon the recruitment of those multi-national companies that underpin the economy. However Britain has allowed itself to become a "soft touch" for too long, and many of Mr Cable's concerns would have been nullified if existing policies had been correctly implemented.

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It is counter-productive to offer visas to highly-skilled workers who do not have a definitive job offer. As well as denying placements to those businesses who genuinely need to recruit from overseas, the fact that one in three such people are working as supermarket cashiers or security guards, for example, denies vital job opportunities to those people being expected to find work as part of the coalition's welfare shake-up.

This is why a new approach is required that meets Britain's business and social needs, neither of which is adequately reflected by existing policies.