Labour must back business on post-Brexit immigration system, says FMB

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn missed an opportunity today to back UK business and support calls for a rethink on our post-Brexit immigration system, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Commenting on the leader’s speech at the Labour Party Conference, Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said: “Corbyn said he wants ‘the best Brexit deal for jobs’, one that will underpin his plans to ‘upgrade the economy’. However, he did not use his speech today to respond to the grave concerns of the business community following last week’s Migration Advisory Committee report. It will be impossible to maintain, never mind upgrade, our economy unless our post-Brexit immigration system works for business. That means no arbitrary salary thresholds, no bureaucratic Tier 2 system and ample access to lower skilled workers who are the backbone of sectors like the construction industry. The system suggested by the MAC report would be a disaster for construction, especially construction SMEs. We’re calling on the opposition to work with us to challenge these recommendations and help avert a post-Brexit skills drought.”