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Kemi Badenoch is advocating for stricter immigration measures in response to a significant increase in the number of people entering the UK, which has reached a record high.
The secretary for business pledged that Rishi Sunak would reveal limitations for those entering Britain “to ensure that they actively contribute to the improvement of our country.”
Her comments come as Mr Sunak faces a growing Tory revolt over immigration after shock figures showed net migration hit a new record of 745,000 last year.
The allies of Suella Braverman, a former home secretary, have disclosed a supposed agreement between her and Mr Sunak. In this agreement, he reportedly consented to implementing a set of strict limitations on migrants.
On Monday, during an interview with LBC, Ms Badenoch expressed her support for taking any necessary actions to reduce the numbers to a manageable level. She emphasized that she is not being hesitant about this issue.
I will strongly advocate for the most stringent measures. The migration statistics we have seen are from the previous year… I anticipate that you will witness much stricter measures in the future.
Ms Badnoch stated: “The prime minister has emphasized the importance of taking all necessary measures to address the issue of boats, in order to ensure that our planes are able to transport and deport individuals who do not have the right to be here. Furthermore, we must also ensure that those who are allowed to enter our country are not taking jobs away from our workforce, and that they are individuals who are coming to contribute and improve our nation.”
Conservative MP Simon Clarke, known for his right-wing views, expressed his agreement by stating: “I completely agree.” He went on to emphasize the significance of passing the initial test, which involves passing a law regarding illegal immigration in order for the Prime Minister’s renewed commitment to Rwanda to be successful.
Business and trade secretary Kemi Badenoch (Henry Nicholls/PA)
Chancellor Sunak has expressed concern about the current levels of immigration, stating that they are excessive. He has pledged to take action, with the Prime Minister’s office vowing to thoroughly investigate all possible solutions.
Last year, Mr Sunak reportedly made a four-point migration plan in secret with Ms Braverman on Monday morning in hopes of gaining her support for his bid to become prime minister. The details of this plan were recently disclosed.
According to supporters of Ms. Braverman, the Prime Minister has pledged to increase the minimum salary requirement for immigrants to £40,000 in an effort to reduce migration.
The plan also involved shutting down the graduate visa option, limiting the amount of dependents that migrants can bring to the UK, and giving priority to international students applying to universities in the Russell Group.
According to allies of Ms Braverman who spoke to The Telegraph, Mr Sunak did not physically sign the deal, but did verbally agree to it multiple times.
Ms. Braverman initially stated that she and Mr. Sunak had an agreement in a harsh letter to the Prime Minister following her dismissal as home secretary earlier this month. She criticized her former boss and alleged that he had broken their agreement, implying that he had no intention of fulfilling his promises.
Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, is facing scrutiny regarding the statistics on net migration (PA).
Ms. Braverman played a decisive role in Mr. Sunak’s triumph during the Tory leadership competition in October of last year. However, in her letter, she disclosed that she had accepted the position of home secretary under “specific terms”.
She stated that the agreement was a “document containing explicit conditions”, and expressed her trust in the other party. However, she blamed Mr. Sunak for being unclear, dismissive, and uninterested.
Inquired about the agreement, Mr Sunak informed the Mail on Sunday: “Naturally, discussions are held with individuals during a leadership campaign, not just Suella.”
When questioned about his concerns regarding her ability to provide evidence of the agreement, he replied: “That is a matter for her. I am focused on actually following through with delivering results.”
Ms. Braverman suggested increasing the minimum salary requirement for skilled foreign worker visas from £26,000 to £40,000.
She proposed extending the time frame for graduates to remain in the UK and seek employment from two years to four months.
Secretary Michael Gove has proposed that the UK lacks sufficient housing to accommodate net migration levels.
When asked about the sufficiency of housing levels, he responded to Times Radio by saying that the situation is actually worse than portrayed. He acknowledged that migration adds to the demand for housing, but emphasized that we have not constructed enough homes for many years.
Source: independent.co.uk
