Wes Streeting plans to increase high-skilled immigration if he becomes PM | Wes Streeting
Wes Streeting’s bid to become the next Labor leader will include a plan to increase high-skilled immigration to the UK, citing Donald Trump’s suggestion that he has told scientists and AI experts they are not welcome in the US.
In his speech next week, the former health minister will also say that tax revenues from new oil and gas fields in the North Sea should be used to reduce energy bills.
Streeting is set to challenge Andy Burnham and others in the leadership race to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister.
Streeting will unveil a plan to relax immigration restrictions in a bid to “attract the best and brightest minds from around the world to the UK”.
As leader, he will launch a global talent program aimed at hiring 20,000 world-leading scientists, artificial intelligence experts and engineers over the next three years, aides said. The program will be at No 10 and will have a budget of £250 million.
Streeting said the Trump administration was hostile to global science and the UK should benefit from this.
“We must open our doors to the best and the brightest,” he said. “Trump says this to the world’s leading scientists, engineers and artificial intelligence experts: You are not welcome here. “And I can tell them this: We will welcome you with open arms.”
“Voters who want lower levels of immigration are not averse to inviting tomorrow’s Nobel laureates to make their discoveries here in Britain.”
Streeting’s second policy proposal centers around the controversial expectation that new oil and gas fields in the North Sea will be given the green light by the government.
Energy minister Ed Miliband is under huge pressure from the oil industry and opposition parties to allow production at the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields.
Streeting will say tax revenues from the two new areas should be mortgaged and used to fund initiatives that reduce energy bills and emissions.
“Businesses and residences are being left behind by high energy costs,” he said. “Tax revenues from new oil and gas fields in the North Sea should be channeled into cheaper energy: insulation, heat pumps and electrification to reduce bills and emissions.
“Opponents of the North Sea say it sets the wrong example to the world. But the worst example we can set is that net zero emissions can only be achieved through the jobs of the poor and working people. This is the route to Nigel Farage walking into Downing Street and destroying our renewable energy industry.”
Opponents of allowing new production argue it would jeopardize international emissions targets, undermine the UK’s climate leadership and encourage developing countries to tap their own fossil fuel reserves.
Burham will feature in the Makerfield by-election on Thursday and punters They offer 1/7 odds on winning.
The mayor of Greater Manchester plans to put public control over water and energy at the center of his agenda if he becomes prime minister, the Guardian reported at the weekend.
