Election Watch: Labour Party manifesto commits to run ‘a fair and properly managed immigration system’
Friday 14 June 2024
Published on Thursday 13 June 2024, the long-awaited Labour Party manifesto emphasises tolerance for migration and ‘joined-up thinking’ to ensure that migration addresses skills shortages. Like the Conservative Party, Labour identifies decreasing net migration and tackling the small boats crisis as priorities for governance.
None of the immigration and asylum-related commitments in this manifesto are a surprise, as the Labour leader and his team have previously announced all policies. Similarly to the Conservative Party and in contrast to the Liberal Democrats, provisions are split between those policies related to asylum and border control and immigration-related policies.
Immigration system
Labour concurs with the Conservative Party over the need to decrease net migration, though its methods are markedly different, as outlined in this manifesto. Under the manifesto section ‘Kickstart economic growth: A fair and properly managed immigration system’, Labour promises the following changes to the points-based immigration and sponsorship systems:
- control and manage net migration to reduce dependency on foreign workers;
- reform the points-based immigration system with:
- appropriate restrictions; and
- integration of immigration and skills policy;
- bar employers who flout immigration or employment laws from hiring foreign workers;
- ensure migration addresses skills shortages and triggers plans to upskill UK workers;
- strengthen the Migration Advisory Committee and enhance collaboration with:
- skills bodies across the UK;
- the Industrial Strategy Council;
- the Department for Work and Pensions; and
- implement workforce and training plans to reduce reliance on overseas workers in health, social care and construction sectors.
Additionally, the manifesto’s fiscal plan section includes a niche £10 million carve-out to waive application fees for non-UK veterans who have served four years or more in the British forces.
Asylum and border control provisions
Creating a new Border Security Command to address the small boats crisis is identified as one of ‘Labour’s first steps for change’, countering the Conservative Party’s Rwanda scheme. Under the manifesto section ‘Strong foundations: Secure borders’, the Labour Party commits to the following provisions related to the asylum system and border control:
- control and manage the asylum system to ensure strong borders;
- address the small boats crisis and combat criminal smuggler gangs;
- end the Rwanda asylum seeker policy;
- establish a new Border Security Command with:
- hundreds of new investigators, intelligence officers, and cross-border police officers; and
- new counter-terrorism style powers to disrupt and arrest smugglers;
- seek a new security agreement with the EU for real-time intelligence sharing and joint investigations;
- hire additional caseworkers to clear the existing asylum backlog;
- end the use of asylum hotels, saving taxpayer money;
- create a new returns and enforcement unit with 1,000 additional staff to:
- fast-track removals to safe countries; and
- negotiate additional returns arrangements; and
- address humanitarian crises and support refugees in their home regions.
Analysis
The Labour Party’s position on strengthening the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) and deferring to sector-specific bodies in the UK marks a return to technocratic policies and a rebuff to suspicion of experts. The MAC is an independent, non-statutory, non-time-limited, non-departmental public body that advises the government on migration issues, including the most recent rapid review of the Graduate route. It comprises a chair and four independent members, all of whom are leading experts in social sciences at leading British universities and research institutes.
Unlike the Conservative Party’s position of decreasing net migration through the introduction of an annual legal cap on migrants, Labour aims to control net migration through the implementation of a cross-departmental industrial and skills strategy that reduces dependency on foreign workers. Forging a comprehensive industrial and skills strategy essentially from scratch would prove no easy feat but could provide a comprehensive approach to managing net migration in the long run.
The manifesto does not touch on immigration routes other than the points-based system, such as the Family route mentioned in the Conservative and Liberal Democrats manifestos, the Youth Mobility Scheme or the Graduate route.
In contrast to the Conservative Party’s ‘stop the boats’ strategy and use of the Rwanda plan as a deterrent, Labour emphasises scrapping the Rwanda plan to fund a new Border Security Command and targeting the smuggler gangs organising small boat journeys, thereby redirecting Home Office priorities.
LDI Partner Francesca Sciberras notes:
‘The Labour Party’s pledge to strengthen the MAC and work with sector specific bodies to assist with immigration policy is a positive step forward and it will be interesting to see what this means in practice. Unfortunately, the manifesto does not mention whether the MAC will be asked to review the recent changes to the minimum income requirements recently introduced within the Skilled Worker category or Family route – we hope this is something that will be addressed should the Labour Party win the election.’
Labour’s manifesto proposes a structured and expert-led approach to immigration, focusing on reducing dependency on foreign workers and enhancing border security. However, the feasibility of some proposals, particularly those requiring extensive inter-departmental coordination, may present challenges.
Get in touch
To learn more about upcoming changes to UK immigration law, please refer to our website, contact your assigned LDI lawyer or email enquiries@lauradevine.com.
Francesca Sciberras
Partner
Phoebe Warren
Trainee Solicitor
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