Jonathan Hinder MP Column - This Labour government will reduce our reliance on overseas workers

The new Labour government has pledged to tackle this issue with five clear priorities: bringing down net migration, reducing reliance on overseas workers, cracking down on smuggling gangs, clearing the asylum backlog, and increasing returns of those without legal status. These are necessary steps to ensure a fair, controlled, and sustainable immigration system. We are already starting to see clear progress, with the new government announcing last week that they have deported the highest number of illegal immigrants for five years in the short time since the election.

The vast majority of this sky-high immigration is entirely legal and so within the government’s control. The Prime Minister was right when he said that we should not be relaxed about sectors importing labour when millions of young people are looking for opportunities to work. By investing in apprenticeships and rebalancing funding towards young people and create good, secure jobs that give people a sense of pride and purpose.

That’s why I support the establishment of Skills England, a national body to equip young people with the skills they need in sectors like construction, healthcare, and engineering. For too long, we have depended on overseas labour to fill roles that should provide opportunities for our own homegrown talent. This reliance is not just bad for our economy; it diminishes the sense of pride that comes from contributing to your local community through meaningful work.

Some will rightly point out that certain sectors, such as social care, currently rely heavily on migrant workers, and so this shift needs to be carefully managed. However, there is nothing progressive about keeping wages artificially low. Reducing immigration isn’t just about numbers on a graph, or GDP figures; it’s about ensuring we build a cohesive, well-integrated society. The new government’s approach must keep this in mind, focusing on integration, shared British values, and building a country where everyone has a stake in our national success.

In Pendle and Clitheroe, I hear the same message time and again: people want an immigration system that is fair, controlled, and works for the benefit of everyone. We must create good, secure jobs that you can raise a family on, rebuild pride in our country, and ensure a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. The last government repeatedly promised to reduce migration, while delivering the precise opposite, which so badly undermined public faith in politicians. Labour must secure our borders and significantly reduce net migration, and I look forward to supporting the government in this vital work.