Does Britain need migrant workers?
EconomistMAY 21
UK Unveils £3B Skills Program to Train 120,000 Workers
Above: Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson speak to a student on the bricklaying course on March 20, 2025 in Bury, England. Image copyright: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Contributor/Future Publishing via Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
The U.K. economy needs foreign talent. Skilled migrants contribute £16,300 annually versus £800 per Briton, filling critical gaps in healthcare, technology, and construction. With 250,000 worker shortages looming and public support for doctors (77%), care workers (71%), and skilled professionals, U.K. prosperity requires embracing immigration, not retreating into an isolationist fantasy.
Right narrative
Training alone won't solve the U.K.'s labor crisis. With 130,000 care vacancies and British workers routinely abandoning interviews or quitting within weeks, deeper systemic reform is essential. Broken benefits systems, inadequate wages, collapsed apprenticeships, and entrenched worklessness culture demand comprehensive solutions, not superficial training schemes that ignore why millions choose benefits over work.