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A SCOTTISH woman has written a scathing letter to Keir Starmer over the impact of the new immigration rules.
Vicky Currie, 85, fears it will impact her 92-year-old husband Jim – who has Alzheimer's and requires the help of carers.
The Prime Minister – during a speech in which he invoked far-right Enoch Powell-style language – announced significant changes to immigration rules to significantly reduce net migration in May.
This included a new system to end automatic settlement and citizenship for anyone living here for five years, with migrants instead required to spend a decade in the UK before applying to stay.
The UK Government immigration changes will impact many sectors, but Scotland’s care industry is one that is under particular threat given its high dependence on international workers.
The National previously reported on how Perth and Kinross – as the region with the highest proportion of elderly people and also where Vicky and Jim live – will be disproportionately impacted.
“I feel compelled to write this letter as I am absolutely incensed, disgusted and outraged at the decision which you made on May 12 to significantly change the existing immigration rules,” she wrote in the letter to Starmer (below).
“Please explain to me why you think changing the five year to a 10 year citizenship rule will do anything to stop the illegal immigrants when, in actual fact, all it will be doing is making it too difficult, expensive and unfair for these lovely people to stay who initially came to this country legally under the five year rule. It’s Brexit all over again except it's not European 'carers' this time!”
Vicky went on to explain that it will directly impact her and her husband given the caring staff who take care of him may have to leave Scotland soon as a result and put further strain on Perth and Kinross's already struggling care sector.
She added: “These people came to this country legally, pay their taxes and work extremely hard for what I consider to be an underpaid, overworked and under-appreciated job. They ALWAYS treat my husband and me with respect and kindness and are a pleasure to have in your home.”
Local SNP MP Pete Wishart said that Vicky and Jim’s situation is a “stark example of just how much damage the UK Government’s immigration proposals are already causing across my constituency”.
He added: “Hard-working carers, much loved by their clients, are already planning to leave as a direct result of these proposals, right at a time when their presence here has never been more important.
“It would have been unimaginable not so long ago for a Labour Government to be demonising the very people who are helping to prop up our cherished public services.
Wishart went on: “Their direction of travel on this issue is alarming and flies in the face of our demographic reality. Unless they wake up to this, and abandon their futile ‘Reform-lite’ agenda, what we will see is more sick and elderly people in Perthshire and beyond being left without vital care support.”
The UK Government has been approached for comment.
