Labour pledges to reduce migration as Tories promise to improve community care services
Sir Keir Starmer has proposed a ban on law-breaking employers from hiring foreign workers but has not set a target immigration level, in his bid to reduce net migration. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to enhance community care in his initial health offer of the election campaign.
In an effort to decrease immigration numbers, Sir Keir plans to crack down on employers violating labor market rules and tie work visas to training for domestic workers. However, he has chosen not to specify a precise target. Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, has also kept the option open to offshore the processing of asylum claims.
Last year’s net migration figure of 685,000 is seen as needing reduction, according to Sir Keir, emphasizing the need to manage borders effectively. Labour will mandate sectors seeking foreign worker visas to first train British workers.
Yvette Cooper emphasized the party’s reluctance to set an immigration target due to the fluctuation caused by global events and Conservatives’ past failures at maintaining consistency in their immigration policies.
Lifelong learning has been promised by Labour to upskill the workforce, providing more training opportunities for young people and adults. They plan to replace the Apprenticeships Levy with a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy.
On the other hand, the Conservatives under Prime Minister Sunak have pledged to expand community care services by building new GP surgeries and diagnostic centers. The party aims to cut down on NHS managers to fund these initiatives.
The healthcare proposals by both parties have sparked discussions, with the Conservatives aiming for quicker and more convenient patient care, while the Liberal Democrats promise to reverse cuts to the Public Health Grant by cracking down on tax evasion to fund local services.
