Liz Truss sparks cabinet row with plan to increase migrant numbers to Britain

Liz Truss is planning to increase migrant numbers to Britain by loosening immigration rules as part of her mission to boost economic growth. 

The Prime Minister is facing resistance from her cabinet colleagues to a move that would see labour shortages plugged by allowing businesses to recruit more overseas workers. 

Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, the Trade Secretary, and Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Business Secretary, are hesistant to give their backing, the Sunday Times reported. 

It is understood that Nadhim Zahawi, the Cabinet Office minister, who chaired a meeting on the proposals, is also in favour along with Ranil Jayawardena, the Environment Secretary, and Kwasi Kwarteng, the Chancellor. 

Businesses have been frustrated that the visa system for skilled work has not been responsive enough to shortages they have experienced and  Ms Truss has faced industry demands for more migrant workers. 

Liz Truss (pictured in parliament with Treasury Minister Chris Philp on left, Kwasi Kwarteng on her right and on right of him Levelling Up Secretary Simon Clarke and Work and Pensions Secretary Chloe Smith) has sparked a cabinet row with a plan to increase migrant numbers to Britain in a bid to boost economic growth

The Prime Minister (pictured yesterday) is expected to expand the Government’s shortage occupation list in order to help businesses fill vacancies by more easily recruiting overseas workers

Suella Braverman (left), the Home Secretary, Kemi Badenoch (right), the Trade Secretary and Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Business Secretary, are said to be resistent to the measure, the Times reported

Ms Truss has insisted she is ‘unapologetic’ in ‘focusing relentlessly on economic growth’, even if that means implementing unpopular policies. 

A senior government source told the Times: ‘There is a view within the Treasury that migration is good for growth. That is a view that appears to be shared by the PM and the chancellor. 

‘We cannot tear up our immigration rules. People who voted for Brexit want to see controlled migration.’

Ms Badenoch is reportedly opposing a ‘freedom of movement’ type of agreement with India as a way of getting a trade deal. 

And Mr Rees-Mogg is understood to be up for back the expansion of the Government’s shortage occupation list if it can be shown it will increase GDP per capita.  

Liz Truss leaves Downing Street for the Commons on Friday on what could prove to be a pivotal day for her premiership

Ms Truss has faced industry demands for more migrant workers to be given visas to come to the UK, with labour shortages one of the main concerns voiced by employers across a range of sectors. 

Downing Street did not deny that the Prime Minister is planning to liberalise routes to allow foreign workers to move to the UK, as first reported in The Sun. 

During her campaign for the Tory leadership, Ms Truss promised to tackle the labour shortages in farming – partly caused by post-Brexit freedom of movement restrictions and accentuated by the pandemic – with a short-term expansion to the seasonal workers scheme. 

A recent Government report warned that such shortages were…