Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, proposes banning law-breaking employers from hiring foreign workers but has refused to specify a target immigration level. On the other hand, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has promised to enhance community care in his first major health offer of the election campaign.
Sir Keir pledged to reduce net migration by cracking down on “bad bosses” who violate labor market rules and by linking work visas to training domestic workers. However, he has not set a specific target for immigration levels. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has also not ruled out offshoring the processing of asylum claims.
Last year’s net migration figure of 685,000 needs to decrease, according to Sir Keir. He emphasized the need to control borders and prioritize British businesses hiring British workers. Labour plans to make sectors applying for foreign worker visas train British workers first.
Despite these measures, Sir Keir Starmer has refrained from setting a specific target level for migration or a timeframe. Yvette Cooper explained that the party is avoiding specific targets due to the inconsistency of immigration levels caused by global events.
Labour’s migration policies also include creating a border security command to clear backlogs and end asylum hotel use. The party aims to implement a returns and enforcement unit to ensure proper returns for individuals with no right to stay in the country.
The party has also committed to providing lifelong learning opportunities for workforce upskilling. Labour plans to replace the Conservatives’ Apprenticeships Levy with a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan criticized this policy, claiming it would reduce apprenticeships and disadvantage small and medium-sized businesses.
On the other hand, the Tories pledge to enhance community care by building new GP surgeries and community diagnostic centers. This initiative would be funded by reducing the number of NHS managers. Health Secretary Victoria Atkins emphasized the importance of utilizing technology in the NHS to improve patient care and alleviate pressure on hospital services. Atkins emphasized that the policy aims to improve patient care and utilize pharmacists’ skills effectively. She stated, “This will bring care closer to us as patients and is beneficial for pharmacists as we aim to maximize their expertise.”
When questioned about the Conservatives’ plan to free up 20 million appointments, Ms. Atkins mentioned that this goal is targeted to be achieved by the end of the next Parliament.
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting criticized the Conservatives for reducing the number of GPs by 1,700 since 2016. He highlighted the difficulty patients face in accessing GP services and questioned the credibility of the latest promise.
The Liberal Democrats also condemned the Tories’ healthcare policies. Sir Ed Davey’s party pledged to reverse the £1 billion cuts to the Public Health Grant, which supports local public health initiatives. They proposed funding these services by cracking down on tax evasion.
Sir Keir and Mr. Sunak took a break from their campaign trail on Sunday following a hectic week of campaigning and the launch of their parties’ battle buses on Saturday.
In Scotland, First Minister John Swinney will urge voters to “vote SNP to prioritize Scotland’s interests” as he kicks off the party’s General Election campaign in Glasgow.
(Note: PA Media contributed to this report.)
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