The UK will not ease immigration rules to help businesses plug labour shortage, says Minister

The immigration minister told Sky News that ending the freedom of movement of people was one of the fundamental principles of Brexit and could not be adapted.

He also dismissed reports that the government was considering a move to a Swiss-style post-Brexit relationship with the EU, in a deal similar to Theresa May’s Chequer plan.

Last week the head of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) urged Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to use last week’s Autumn statement to change immigration rules to support businesses struggling to recruit staff and boost growth.

On Monday, when asked about the CBI’s call for immigration rules to be eased, Jenrick replied: “I don’t agree with that. We listen to the business community, obviously, and we’re aware of certain skills shortages, and we want a pragmatic, sensible relationship with business.”

He said that while some areas, like visas for health workers were addressed, the overall ambition is “to reduce net migration”.

“We think that’s what the British public want. That was one of the driving forces in the vote to leave the European Union back in 2016.

“If I was a business manager, I would be looking to the British workforce in the first instance, seeing how I could get local people into my business, train them up, skill them to do the job.”

Speaking straight after Jenrick on Sky News, Danker said: “This should be a very simple system. What are the jobs we need to fill, number one? Number two, have we got British workers to fill them? And number three, if we don’t, let’s use immigration on a fixed-term basis to plug the gaps until British workers are ready to do the jobs.

“That’s not how our immigration system works today, and that’s why it’s not helping us with our growth problem.”

“Where’s the momentum for growth? That’s why you have to look at things like immigration or planning or regulation.”

On immigration, he said: “This should be a very simple system. What are the jobs we need to fill, number one? Number two, have we got British workers to fill them? And number three, if we don’t, let’s use immigration on a fixed-term basis to plug the gaps until British workers are ready to do the jobs.

“That’s not how our immigration system works today, and that’s why it’s not helping us with our growth problem.”

The CBI conference in Birmingham, which is called Go for Growth, heard from the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who insisted that he and the Hunt “absolutely” agree on the current Brexit deal.

Sunak said earlier he is against any move to rebuild damaged trade with the EU that would undermine the UK’s freedoms, insisting Brexit is “delivering” for Britain.

Danker said in response: “It was great to hear the Prime Minister’s deeply held convictions and passion for innovation, and the role it can play as one of the most important drivers of the UK’s future economic growth.

“The Prime Minister started to lay out a vision for a new approach. But what we didn’t get today are the details of the measures to achieve it. Businesses are making investment decisions now and need to hear more on this agenda as soon as possible.”