A senior UNISON boss has hit out at Labour’s upcoming Immigration White Paper, accusing the party of using “hostile language” that is putting off overseas workers from coming to the UK. Ahead of the reveal of the immigration plan today, Sir Keir Starmer outlined the government’s aims to close loopholes and tighten the immigration system. In a speech at Downing Street, the Prime Minister said Labour would “take back control of our borders” and move beyond a “squalid chapter” for politics and the economy.
However, Christina McAnea, general secretary of the public sector union UNISON, condemned the White Paper before it was even released, saying that the public sector’s reliance on immigrant workers makes the new proposals concerning, reported the Express.
“The NHS and the care sector would have collapsed long ago without the thousands of workers who’ve come to the UK from overseas,” McAnea said. She also expressed concern for migrant workers already in the UK, adding, “Migrant health and care staff already here will now be understandably anxious about what’s to happen to them. The government must reassure these overseas workers they’ll be allowed to stay and continue with their indispensable work.”
She further argued that “care workers” from outside the UK would be less likely to come to Britain because of the negative language used about migrants. McAnea also highlighted the detrimental effect of the ban on bringing dependents and exploitation by employers, which she claims is leading to a decline in visa applications. “The way overseas care workers have been treated by some corrupt care bosses is shameful. Ministers must crack down on those breaking the law and remove visa sponsorship from all care employers,” she said.
The release of the White Paper comes after net migration reached almost one million in the year ending June 2023—four times the levels seen just four years ago. The new immigration rules are intended to reduce reliance on foreign recruitment, prioritise workers who contribute to the UK’s economy, and boost wages for working people.
Under the new policy, migrants will need to live in the UK for a decade before applying for citizenship, up from five years, and English language requirements will be extended to include adult dependents.
McAnea urged Labour to follow through on its promises for fair pay and proper funding for social care. “So long as care wages stay barely above the legal minimum, employers will never be able to recruit the staff needed to deliver a national care service of which we can all be proud,” she said.
Don’t Miss These:
- Dad Outraged After School Delay Telling Him Son with Down’s Syndrome Was “Smacked Four Times”
- Ben Shephard Halts Live Show to Call Out Crew Chaos as AI Presenter Glitches Again
- Starmer’s Immigration Plan Slammed for Ignoring Exploited Migrant Workers – “A Kick in the Teeth”
- Builders Make Chilling Discovery Understairs After Wife Missing for 6 Years – Husband on Trial
- LBC Host Stunned as Immigrant Confesses to ‘Playing the System’ Live on Air
