Liz Truss is preparing to increase immigration to fill job vacancies and boost economic growth in a move that will anger some of her ministers and MPs.
The prime minister plans to raise the number of workers allowed to enter the UK, government sources have confirmed.
Reports claim the government will lift the cap on seasonal agricultural workers and broadband engineers, and make other changes to the shortage occupations list, which will allow key sectors to recruit more overseas staff.
Truss is said to be keen to recruit broadband engineers to complete a pledge to make full-fibre broadband available to 85% of UK homes by 2025. It has also been suggested that she could ease the English-language requirement in some sectors to enable more foreign workers to qualify for visas.
The proposals faces resistance from cabinet Brexiters including the home secretary, Suella Braverman, and the trade secretary, Kemi Badenoch, according to the Sunday Times.
One Conservative MP said that many new Conservative voters in “red wall” seats will be baffled by any softening of immigration rules.
“The government is going to have to explain to those people who thought we were a pro-Brexit government and want to curb immigration why we seem to be changing tack,” the MP said. » | Rajeev Syal | Sunday, September 25, 2022
This woman must surely be taking the effing piss! We have come out of the European Union because of too many 'immigrants' coming into the country—note that most of those people were then part of our homeland - Europe – of which we were a part; and they were largely of the same cultural and religious background: Judaeo-Christian, And when we were in the European Union, everything was going just fine. But that was too much for this turncoat: the once committed Remainer who turned Brexiteer when it suited her career ambitions. Were this woman to be an object, one would say she is not 'fit for purpose'. I therefore say this: Eject the woman from her position as soon as possible, before she does any more damage to this once great country. Shame on her! Shame on the Tories! The party is as corrupt as corrupt can be. – © Mark Alexander
