Labour’s secret plan to increase migration
Leaked document reveals Corbyn would reinstate visa scheme for unskilled workers post Brexit
LABOUR has drawn up a secret plan to allow thousands of unskilled migrants to enter the UK after Brexit, according to leaked documents seen by The Daily Telegraph.
Jeremy Corbyn’s party is considering bringing back a scrapped visa scheme that allows unskilled labourers to move to the UK and compete with British workers for jobs such as seasonal work on farms, and in factories.
The policy paper also sets out plans for a green card scheme and admits Labour does not consider cutting net migration a priority.
It gives the first real look at the party’s immigration policy after its manifesto set out aims but no detail on how Labour would tackle a new visa system.
After Brexit, EU nationals are likely to require a visa to live and work in the UK as both the Conservatives and Labour have vowed to end freedom of movement. However, Mr Corbyn’s plan makes clear that Labour would extend the visas to workers in low-paid jobs that require no qualifications.
Immigration was one of the defining issues of last year’s EU referendum and swathes of Labour voters backed Brexit citing high numbers of low-skilled migrants moving to Northern towns as a reason to “take back control” and end freedom of movement within the EU.
The decision to open up a new visa route for low-skilled labour, thought to include people from countries outside the EU, will lead to fears that Mr Corbyn’s party will reinstate freedom of movement by another name. Last night Robert Goodwill, the Immigration Minister, said: “This leaked plan is the latest sign that Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott will never reduce immigration because they simply don’t believe in doing so.
“Only Theresa May and her Conservative team will reduce immigration as we leave the EU, while making sure our economy continues to attract the brightest and best workers it needs.”
The five-page document, written by Lachlan Stuart, Mr Corbyn’s immigration policy adviser, emerged after the Labour leader admitted during a television appearance on Monday that the net migration figure may go up under his government.
It is marked “Leader of the Opposition’s Office” and written as a question and answer-style piece thought to have been prepared for Labour candidates to help them explain the party’s policy during television and radio appearances.
‘Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott will never reduce immigration because they don’t believe in doing so’
It has a “confidential” watermark and is dated from earlier this month.
It will come as a blow to Labour MPS in northern England who are working hard to convince voters that the party will be tough on immigration if elected.
During his live appearance on Sky and Channel 4, Mr Corbyn said he would not “stand here and put a figure” on the number of migrants coming to the UK.
Previously Ms Abbott, the shadow home secretary, told a Bloomberg event: “We will not, as Theresa May has done, prioritise controlling immigration; not to say that we don’t believe we shouldn’t have fair rules and management of migration. We will prioritise the economy, that’s what will be different.”
The document casts significant doubt on Mr Corbyn’s promise to put UK workers first. It reveals Mr Corbyn will scrap restrictions on how much
money family members must have before they are allowed to relocate to the UK to join others and make it easier to claim asylum in Britain.
All current EU nationals living in the UK would be given a green card, giving them the right to live and work in Britain although not British citizenship. Five huge new IT projects would be needed for the new immigration system. The party puts the cost at £2million, but experts say it would be much more.
The leaked plan suggests the means test that ensures people can support family members who want to live in Britain will be scrapped, saying: “We would revisit the family connection rules in order not to discriminate between rich and poor families.”
The paper also details plans to bring back the tier-three entry route created by a Labour government and scrapped by David Cameron in 2013.
That scheme was designed to encourage low-skilled workers to fill jobs in factories and farms, but was never needed because of high migration from countries such as Poland and Romania. The leaked paper states: “We envisage a requirement to make continued use of the current five-tiered tiered visa system, including the currently unused tier applicable to those seeking lowskilled, unskilled or seasonal work.”
On whether net migration would go up under a Corbyn government it adds: “Immigration is driven more by economic requirements of both migrant and host far more than it is regulated by systems of permit control.
“The numbers might go up or down but not as a consequence of these changes. We are not setting false, misleading, divisive targets.”
A Labour spokesman said: “After Britain leaves the EU, free movement of labour will come to an end. Labour will introduce fair rules and managed migration, based on the needs of our economy. As part of our work in exploring the options, a number of discussion papers have been produced. This is part of one such document. It is not a statement of Labour policy, which is set out in our manifesto.”
The party’s manifesto states that Labour will put “growth, jobs and prosperity” ahead of “bogus immigration targets” but gives no detail.