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We're in Europe so who are the immigrants
Apr 29 2008 Post Comment
When Gordon Brown promised British jobs for British work-ers, he was greeted with claims that the policy was illegal and unworkable.
It was impossible for any employer to show favouritism to British applicants, critics said.
But Liam Byrne, the Immigration Minister, is hoping to bring forward proposals which will encourage businesses to do exactly that.
The first question they will be asked when they want to sponsor an immigrant worker is why they cannot find staff among the existing workforce.
There is no legal obstacle to this, as the policy already exists, although it applies only in a limited number of cases. Whether it is right or not is another matter. Some businesses will argue they should be free to recruit whoever they feel is best for the job, regardless of their nationality.
The other view would be that if British workers who are qualified for the job exist, the greatest attraction in hiring staff from overseas is likely to be their willingness to work for cut-price wages, which means British staff must accept lower salaries if they hope to compete.
The arguments are complicated, but the Mr Brown's critics should not be too quick to claim the moral high ground.
However, it is also true that the Government's position is less impressive than it appears, as it is effectively impossible to differentiate between workers from the UK and any other part of the European Union.
Indeed, in many ways it no longer makes sense to describe an arrival from Poland, or France or Spain for that matter, as an immigrant at all.
They do not require a permit or sponsorship from an employer to work in the UK. The same, of course, is true for British people working in other parts of the European Union.
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce has called on the Government to improve training and education in this country to ensure Britain has a workforce with the skills employers need.
This would be a long term solution instead of the short term fix of relying on immigrants, the Chamber says.
It is absolutely right, although training is not solely a government responsibility but one that it shares with industry.
There is an urgent need for more apprenticeships, and more value to be placed on vocational learning, in terms of prestige as well as funding.
Business must also ensure it is helping staff improve their skills and prospects constantly, and not expect Government do it for them.
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