UK’S Sunak rebuffs call to ease stance on migration and Brexit

BRITISH Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pushed back on Monday against calls from companies to improve trade ties with the European Union and liberalise immigration to help boost growth, saying Brexit had already benefited the country.

Sunak told business leaders at a Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference he was “unequivocal” that Britain should pursue its own agenda on regulation and migration.

Earlier, the CBI said Britain should create a programme of temporary work visas to boost economic growth and also resolve a dispute with the EU over trade rules in Northern Ireland.

“On trade, let me be unequivocal about this: under my leadership, the United Kingdom will not pursue any relationship with Europe that relies on alignment with EU laws,” Sunak said.

Britain’s grim economic outlook, marked by stagnant business investment and sluggish post-brexit trade, has sparked talk from businesses and economists of closer ties with the EU and a more relaxed approach to immigration as easy ways to boost growth.

Finance minister Jeremy Hunt last week said he was confident Britain would be able to remove “the vast majority” of barriers to trade with the EU, without rejoining its single market.

On Monday, Sunak struck a different tone.

He said Britain’s exit from the EU had helped bring more flexibility on business regulation and had been necessary to secure “proper control” of the country’s borders.

“We need regulatory regimes that are fit for the future, that ensure that this country can be leaders in those industries that are going to create the jobs and the growth of the future. And having the regulatory freedom to do that is an important opportunity of Brexit,” Sunak said.