Migrant proposal misses the point

A UK Government plan to offer preferential treatment to migrants who agree to live outside of London has been branded an unworkable “gimmick”.

New immigration rules will be among 22 policy proposals at today’s State Opening of Parliament.

Boris Johnson wants to introduce an Australia-style points-based system, which Ukip has previously backed. It would score potential migrants based on their education, skills and expected salary level.

But Home Secretary Priti Patel wants to make the system more generous to people willing to live outside London.

Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said the plan would fail – and would do nothing to solve the shortage of workers in the NHS.

She added: “The Home Secretary appears to be very confused.

“The points system would be designed to increase migration but the Tories have been promising to cut immigration.

“There is no workable system to encourage or divert migrants to some parts of the country and not others. Trying to prevent people moving to where the jobs are would be ridiculous.”

Abbott said it was a “fallacy” that the country only needed “so-called skilled workers” to work in overstretched public services.

She added: “The NHS has shortages of more than 100,000 staff. We need doctors, nurses, hospital porters, chefs and cleaners.”

Lisa Nandy, Labour MP for Wigan, slammed Patel’s plan as a “gimmick”.

The Scottish Government has called for immigration powers to be devolved.

There is usually a Queen’s Speech every year, but the last one was in June 2017, because then prime minister Theresa May wanted a