Connect with us

Published

on

The pressure building on migration means tough choices for the prime minister.

Rishi Sunak has made stopping small boats his priority, but it’s a big rise in legal migration which is the story in these figures.

The number of skilled worker visas is up by two-thirds in the year to June 2023 to more than half a million.

It’s driven by big rises in the numbers of people coming to work in health and care – both of which are struggling to recruit.

International students – a success story for universities – are up to 657,000 if you include their dependants, which the government has plans to introduce limits on.

Now that free movement has ended, work visas – especially for skilled work – are easier to come by than before Brexit.

The numbers are no longer strictly capped, and neither is the time limit.

More on Rishi Sunak

Signage is seen at the UK border control point at the arrivals area of Heathrow Airport, London, September 3, 2018. Picture taken on September 3. REUTERS/Toby Melville

Applicants who stay here for five years can settle permanently in the UK and eventually apply for citizenship.

Some advocates of Brexit and the Australian-style points system said this was how the system should work – that if there is a shortage in a certain sector, it should be easier to bring people in.

The political problem is that the rapidly rising number of work visas means more migration overall, and that’s the opposite of what the government promised when elected.

Net migration – the difference between the number of people arriving in the UK and leaving – is already at a record high of more than 600,000.

The 2019 manifesto dropped the commitment to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands, after years of failing to meet it.

But Rishi Sunak has promised to bring migration down overall, and it is running at around three times the levels at the last election.

Ministers point to unprecedented circumstances in the past two years, including people being resettled from the violence in Ukraine and unrest in Hong Kong, and those numbers are levelling off.

But the work visas will, on these trends, continue to climb higher.

John Vine, the former chief of borders and immigration, has said reports about abuse of the system should trigger an investigation into whether it is functioning properly.

A small group of Tories called the New Conservatives – opposed by some others in their party – is already claiming it’s time to cut back on skilled work visas, even in the social care sector, which has 165,000 vacancies.

Then there is Sunak’s battle with irregular migration.

The government has passed the Illegal Migration Act to try to ensure that those who come on small boats are detained and removed.

But the backlog of cases – and hotel bills alongside it – is at a record 175,457 people awaiting an initial decision.

Read more:
No job for many people arriving in UK on skilled worker visas
Crackdown on illegal migration could spark ‘perma-backlog’

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

The prime minister promised to get through the backlog of “legacy” cases – those lodged before June 2022 – by the end of this year, despite warnings by the National Audit Office that it was unrealistic given the number of decisions required.

The cases in that group are now down a bit to 67,870, requiring a big increase in the number of decisions to get through it.

With Labour now taking aim at an asylum system “in complete chaos”, Rishi Sunak faces criticism from all sides.

Continue Reading

Politics

Labour deputy leadership candidate accuses opponent’s team of ‘throwing mud’ and briefing against her

Published

on

By

Labour deputy leadership candidate accuses opponent's team of 'throwing mud' and briefing against her

Lucy Powell has accused Bridget Phillipson’s team of “throwing mud” and briefing against her in the Labour deputy leadership race in a special episode of Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast.

With just days to go until the race is decided, Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby spoke to the two leadership rivals about allegations of leaks, questions of party unity and their political vision.

Ms Powell told Electoral Dysfunction that through the course of the contest, she had “never leaked or briefed”.

But she said of negative stories about her in the media: “I think some of these things have also come from my opponent’s team as well. And I think they need calling out.

“We are two strong women standing in this contest. We’ve both got different things to bring to the job. I’m not going to get into the business of smearing and briefing against Bridget.

“Having us airing our dirty washing, throwing mud – both in this campaign or indeed after this if I get elected as deputy leader – that is not the game that I’m in.”

Ms Powell was responding to a “Labour source” who told the New Statesman last week: “Lucy was sacked from cabinet because she couldn’t be trusted not to brief or leak.”

Ms Powell said she had spoken directly to Ms Phillipson about allegations of briefings “a little bit”.

Bridget Phillipson (l) and Lucy Powell (r) spoke to Sky News' Beth Rigby in a special Electoral Dysfunction double-header. Pics: Reuters
Image:
Bridget Phillipson (l) and Lucy Powell (r) spoke to Sky News’ Beth Rigby in a special Electoral Dysfunction double-header. Pics: Reuters

Phillipson denies leaks

But asked separately if her team had briefed against Ms Powell, Ms Phillipson told Rigby: “Not to my knowledge.”

And Ms Phillipson said she had not spoken “directly” to her opponent about the claims of negative briefings, despite Ms Powell saying the pair had talked about it.

“I don’t know if there’s been any discussion between the teams,” she added.

On the race itself, the education secretary said it would be “destabilising” if Ms Powell is elected, as she is no longer in the cabinet.

“I think there is a risk that comes of airing too much disagreement in public at a time when we need to focus on taking the fight to our opponents.

“I know Lucy would reject that, but I think that is for me a key choice that members are facing.”

She added: “It’s about the principle of having that rule outside of government that risks being the problem. I think I’ll be able to get more done in government.”

👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈

Insider vs outsider

But Ms Powell, who was recently sacked by Sir Keir Starmer as leader of the Commons, said she could “provide a stronger, more independent voice”.

“The party is withering on the vine at the same time, and people have got big jobs in government to do.

“Politics is moving really, really fast. Government is very, very slow. And I think having a full-time political deputy leader right now is the political injection we need.”

The result of the contest will be announced on Saturday 25 October.

The deputy leader has the potential to be a powerful and influential figure as the link between members and the parliamentary Labour Party, and will have a key role in election campaigns. They can’t be sacked by Sir Keir as they have their own mandate.

The contest was triggered by the resignation of Angela Rayner following a row over her tax affairs. She was also the deputy prime minister but this position was filled by David Lammy in a wider cabinet reshuffle.

Continue Reading

Politics

UK tax authority doubles crypto warning letters in crackdown on unpaid gains

Published

on

By

UK tax authority doubles crypto warning letters in crackdown on unpaid gains

UK tax authority doubles crypto warning letters in crackdown on unpaid gains

HMRC sent nearly 65,000 warning letters to crypto investors last year, more than double the previous year, as the UK steps up efforts to trace undeclared capital gains.

Continue Reading

Politics

‘Additional resources’ offered by govt to reverse ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans at Villa game

Published

on

By

'Additional resources' offered by govt to reverse ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans at Villa game

The government says it is exploring what “additional resources and support are required” to allow “all fans” to attend Maccabi Tel Aviv’s match against Aston Villa next month.

Supporters of the Israeli side have been told they are not allowed to attend November’s game in Birmingham after a decision by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG).

The group – made up of local stakeholders, including representatives from the council, police and event organisers – said the decision was due to a high risk of violence based on “current intelligence and previous incidents”.

Politics live: MPs react to Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban

The decision has been criticised across the political spectrum, with Sir Keir Starmer describing it as a “wrong decision” while Tory opposition leader Kemi Badenoch called it a “national disgrace”.

In a statement on Friday night, a government spokesperson said: “No one should be stopped from watching a football game simply because of who they are.

“The government is working with policing and other partners to do everything in our power to ensure this game can safely go ahead, with all fans present.

“We are exploring what additional resources and support are required so all fans can attend.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Birmingham residents react to the Maccabi fan ban

Meanwhile, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Antisemitism is a stain on our society that shames us all. Every football fan, whoever they are, should be able to watch their team in safety.

“This government is doing everything in our power to ensure all fans can safely attend the game.”

The prime minister’s spokesman previously said Sir Keir would “do everything in his power to give Jewish communities the security they deserve”.

Read more:
Why are fans banned – and has this happened before?
How this raises questions about one of the UK’s biggest cities

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Badenoch: Fan ban a ‘national disgrace’

The Home Office offered to provide more police for the event, while Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Communities Secretary Steve Reed also intervened.

However, senior police insisted the ban was necessary and cited clashes and hate crime offences committed when the Israeli team travelled to Amsterdam to play Ajax last year.

The Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv match – set to take place on Thursday 6 November – is a Europa League fixture.

UEFA, which runs the tournament, had urged UK authorities to ensure away fans could attend.

Continue Reading

Trending