Brexit blow for our young
RON Mackay, in his column of March 28, and Michael Tolland, in his letter today (April 7) have been critical of the immigration plans of the heartless Priti Patel. What both have failed to highlight is the worst threat of the recentlyadopted points-based system which will effectively condemn our young people to second-class status in their own country.
Freedom of movement within the EU does not require anyone to be particularly “intelligent and forwardthinking” in order to be welcomed into another EU jurisdiction. Brexit has now brought us a points-based system which effectively retains freedom of movement for those who can command higher salaries but denies it to others, leaving low-skilled, lower-paid occupations to be filled exclusively by our indigenous population with no requirement to achieve a high rating for intelligence and forward thinking.
What employer is going to invest in training and career development of our school leavers when a ready supply of “oven-ready” well-educated immigrants is available? Our young people face a future in which they are likely to be streamed in the direction of the lower-paid, often seasonal, jobs which immigrants were previously more than willing to occupy.
Watch out for the introduction of harvesting and fruit-picking into our school curriculum.
Willie Maclean, Milngavie.