British Prime Minister Unveils Plan to Limit Migration Ahead of Impending Election

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Monday that he plans to introduce a cap on immigration levels if re-elected in the upcoming July 4 election.

Sunak’s conservative Tory Party is currently behind in the polls to the more liberal Labour Party, which has proposed an amnesty plan for asylum seekers.

“We have already taken significant steps to reduce the number of people entering the country,” Sunak stated, according to the Independent. “While our current plan is effective, immigration levels remain too high, which is why we are taking further action.

“Labour’s proposed migrant amnesty could make the U.K. a target for illegal immigrants globally, whereas we have a clear strategy to control and limit immigration numbers. The Conservatives are committed to implementing the necessary measures to reduce immigration.”

The main feature of the new proposal is a cap on the number of visas issued annually, potentially prompting companies to train British workers to fill job vacancies, as reported by the Daily Mail. This annual cap would be voted on by Members of Parliament and gradually decreased each year during the next parliamentary term.

Sunak elaborated that this plan would build upon existing measures that are projected to decrease migrant numbers by approximately 300,000 this year, according to the Daily Mail. The proposed cap would apply to individuals coming to the U.K. for work, family reasons, and those pursuing graduate degrees, totaling around 540,000 individuals in the previous year.

In 2022, net migration in the U.K. spiked to 764,000, a significant figure compared to the nation’s population of approximately 66.97 million. Although it decreased to 685,000 last year, as reported by the Daily Mail, it still surpassed the 230,000 level from the 2019 election that Sunak’s party pledged to reduce. More than 10,000 migrants have arrived in the U.K. this year after crossing the English Channel, stated the Independent.

Yvette Cooper, the shadow Home Secretary for the Labour Party, criticized the proposed cap on work and family visas as a “meaningless announcement” from the Tory party that has tripled net migration since the previous election, despite promises to lower it.

“This Tory announcement is just a rehash of failed promises from past administrations, offering no solutions to the skills shortages and economic issues that have led to increased migration,” Cooper remarked, as reported by the Independent.

“Why should we believe a pledge from the Tories that they have consistently broken in the past? Labour’s plan to reduce net migration will involve linking the immigration system with mandatory training and workforce plans for British workers, as well as preventing rogue employers from hiring abroad.”