Today in Parliament the Shadow Home Secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, described the threat posed to key worker services by the Government’s proposed Immigration Bill.
The bill proposes an immigration system containing an immigrant salary threshold of £25,600, disqualifying many of the same workers who’s sacrifice Government ministers line up to clap for every Thursday night.
Responding to the Home Secretary, Rt Hon Priti Patel MP’s statement in the House of Commons, Mr Thomas-Symonds MP said that it is an insult to workers on the frontline to describe their work as unskilled.
Mr Thomas-Symonds MP said:
“We on the Opposition Benches know that people are not being paid the value of what they do, and that what our frontline workers earn does not reflect what they contribute to our society. Many of us did not need reminding of that, but it seems that the Government do need reminding. Those who clapped on Thursday are only too happy to vote through a Bill today that will send a powerful message to those same people that they are not considered by this Government to be skilled workers. Are our shop workers unskilled? Our refuse collectors? Our local government workers? Our NHS staff? Our care workers? Of course they are not. Government Ministers who were out clapping for the 180,000 EU nationals in the NHS and the care sector on Thursday night are sending a message tonight that they are no longer welcome. That is not fair, and it is not in the national interest.”
A video of his statement can be viewed below.
In Parliament today, I set out why this Immigration Bill is a threat to our NHS at the time we need it more than ever. It also insults as ‘low-skilled’ many of the frontline workers who are keeping us safe during this crisis: pic.twitter.com/5mEZlAiNom
— Nick Thomas-Symonds MP (@NickTorfaen) May 18, 2020