Tory MP Brands Government’s Post-Brexit Immigration Plan “Self-Defeating”
19 December 2018, 12:07 | Updated: 19 December 2018, 12:26
A Conservative MP who resigned from Theresa May’s government last month has branded proposed new post-Brexit immigration rules as “self-defeating”.
Later, Home Secretary Sajid Javid will announce plans to scrap low-skilled EU workers’ automatic right to work in the UK after Britain leaves the EU.
A consolation will also be held on a minimum salary requirement of £30,000 for skilled migrants seeking five-year visas.
But, Sam Gyimah, who resigned as Universities and Science Minister, says it’s the wrong approach.
“The best science is done by bringing teams together,” he said.
“It is self-defeating to have an immigration system that means the best people would rather go to Berlin to do their scientific research than to come here.
“If we make it difficult for them, they will go somewhere else.”
In the same interview, Mr Gyimah also said his party had come the "Brexit Party" and other issues were being "shut out".
"The Conservative Party stands for more," he said.
"What’s happened with Brexit is it has completely shut out all the other big issues that people care about in their day-to-day lives.
“All the political energy is going on delivering Brexit, so in terms of who we are as a party; focusing on aspiration, being pro-business, focusing on delivering efficient and well-run public services - all of that has been subordinated to Brexit.”
