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MINISTERS must stop bosses from exploiting migrant workers, the TUC said today, in response to a report by MPs which blasted the Tories’ immigration policy.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said the home affairs committee report should spark a “grown-up conversation about migration” and ministers must work with unions to crack down on unscrupulous bosses who use migrants as an excuse to undercut local labour.
“Migrant workers make a vital contribution to the economy and public services. But far too often they are scapegoated thanks to bad bosses driving down conditions at work,” she said.
The report claimed that the government’s immigration policies, including the arbitrary migration target which has been repeatedly missed, has eroded public trust in immigration enforcement and allowed anxiety over the issue to grow.
The target of under 100,000 is way below total current net migration of 230,000.
The committee states that the unrealistic target “is not working to build confidence” and does not reflect the public’s view on how different forms of migration should be treated.
A separate interim report titled National Conversation, compiled by think tank British Future and campaign group Hope not Hate and submitted to the commons home affairs committee, was published today.
The report is believed to be the biggest of its kind on immigration with more than 40 towns and cities participating in the study.
It found that immigration is seen as positive when migrants are skilled, with their contribution to the NHS frequently cited.
Hope not Hate researcher Rosie Carter said: “Brexit may have shown a country divided, but we have found that most people actually have complex and nuanced views on immigration.”