Sir Keir Starmer’s speech this morning (12/05/25)

Allira I'm not sure what jobs the low skilled immigrants do but not enough are going into the building trade.
It would be better for those young people who become NEETs to be trained in a craft and hopefully get a certificate of competence to become those plasterers, bricklayers etc. With training they would be useful on the potential building sites.
Far better than doing nothing at all.

Yvette Cooper is allowing only those with a degree into the UK.

Not true.

“Employers who want to employ lower-skilled workers, on a temporary basis, will have to demonstrate they are training and recruiting UK workers as well”

Sky news.

The hypocrisy of people who have shouted long and hard there is too much immigration are now complaining that we are going to try and act on these complaints.

Cossy

Maremia

Absolutely Cossy, we have had enough of the 'charisma' and 'charm' of Trump, Farage and the like. Slow and steady gets there in the end.

Johnson (allegedly) had charisma! Look how they ended for him and all of us!

I'm trying to find any charm or charisma in Trump and failing miserably.

As for Farage, he's your 'mate down the pub' when, in fact, he's anything but.
However, he has hit on the one thing which is worrying people in some areas and has reaped the rewards of that in the recent elections. It won't last.

As Harold Wilson once said "A week is a long time in politics"!

.

I do agree however that pay need to go up in the care sector however, and always have. It's a long term issue that no government has grasped.

But if care pay goes up, then councils will have to pay more - Reform, please note before you decide to cut....

Wyllow3

Teazel2

Primrose53

As usual Starmer looked like a scared rabbit caught in the headlights.

Where are these people who are going to fill jobs in areas where we need workers going to live? They couldn’t afford a mortgage and private rental prices have now gone crazy. Plus landlords now require large deposits, excellent references and credit checks.

Yes he does always look just like that! Apparently he said that he doesnt understand or like politics!

Teazel

and where does he say he he doesn't understand or like politics? A source

"apparently" is not good enough when you make accusations.

Primrose well if there are immigrants doing the jobs in the area, where do they live? Presumably they must have somewhere. This makes no sense.

I am not making any accusations, what a strange thing to say! Its just something I read that he said before the general election, and cannot recall where, probably the Daily Mail. I like reading their political essays, probably because I usually agree with their views.

AGAA4

Allira I'm not sure what jobs the low skilled immigrants do but not enough are going into the building trade.
It would be better for those young people who become NEETs to be trained in a craft and hopefully get a certificate of competence to become those plasterers, bricklayers etc. With training they would be useful on the potential building sites.
Far better than doing nothing at all.

An apprenticeship can take as long as a degree with part-time day release for college. An electrician, for example, takes 3-4 years to become ful.y qualified.

We do not want low-skilled people from here or anywhere building homes, working on our electrics, plumbing etc!

Wyllow3 This is what Yvette Cooper said on LK yesterday.

Are those lower skilled workers already resident here? She just wants to stop employers only recruiting foreign workers at the expense of UK workers

Anniebach

Quote eazybee Mon 12-May-25 10:52:11
I heard the very silly Bev Turner on GB news this morning, ask where the care workers were going to come from: 'after all you can't expect a 22 year old youth empty bedpans, can you?'
Why not?

There is more to do when emptying bedpans than carrying from the bed to the waste room, bottoms , vulvas,to wash, cream on skin when sore
You have no problem with a 22 year old doing this to youI am many sure would

A high percentage of the domiciliary care workers are not even 22, you are considered an adult you are 18 years. The training should be much better, the wages much better, which would gain respect from people and make the carers proud to work in that profession. They do an incredible job, how many GNs would this sort of work for strangers? No! thought not. It is hard doing personal care for a loved one as I well know, but doing it for a stranger is so much, much harder. I take my hat off to 98% of them and the 2% who fail is mostly due to lack of training. I worked with them for 11 years so have plenty of experience.

Thats right AGAA4, I dont think we are at odds when I quoted from Sky news, I'm assuming it is for new applications for jobs?

"“Employers who want to employ lower-skilled workers, on a temporary basis, will have to demonstrate they are training and recruiting UK workers as well”.

(There may be guidelines about the size of the organisation recruiting as well, ie big care providers are very different from small local homes)

Primrose53

lafergar

I wonder where people are going to learn English? There is practically nothing available. From their phones I suppose.

If they’ve got anything about them they will find courses or tutors. A friend of mine moved to Germany and had to find courses herself.

As did my sister. Magazines, crosswords, TV, German work colleagues.
Nursing staff got a 6 month course provided. Then you were on your own time for lessons, paid for by themselves.

Quote win Mon 12-May-25 14:46:36
Anniebach
Quote eazybee Mon 12-May-25 10:52:11
I heard the very silly Bev Turner on GB news this morning, ask where the care workers were going to come from: 'after all you can't expect a 22 year old youth empty bedpans, can you?'
Why not?

There is more to do when emptying bedpans than carrying from the bed to the waste room, bottoms , vulvas,to wash, cream on skin when sore
You have no problem with a 22 year old doing this to youI am many sure would
A high percentage of the domiciliary care workers are not even 22, you are considered an adult you are 18 years. The training should be much better, the wages much better, which would gain respect from people and make the carers proud to work in that profession. They do an incredible job, how many GNs would this sort of work for strangers? No! thought not. It is hard doing personal care for a loved one as I well know, but doing it for a stranger is so much, much harder. I take my hat off to 98% of them and the 2% who fail is mostly due to lack of training. I worked with them for 11 years so have plenty of experience.

I live in a nursing so have plenty of experience, 22 year old
men would not be acceptable for many,many women

What is the source of it being "only people with a degree" who will be allowed into the country? I thought it was "people with skills". There are many skills that don't need a degree, skills which involve getting your hands dirty or having years of experience doing a trade. All of them are needed and will bring a benefit to the country.

Teasel it is - an accusation to say of a PM that "he doesn't like or understand politics" especially the understand bit! something you remember as maybe from one newspaper some time ago is hardly fair or just about someone.

Not asking for an essay but just the source. There's so much on social media that is simply made up.

I listened to his speech early morning, don't know if he's given another later. I thought very uninspiring, he really seems to be a man with no enthusiasm or get up and go. Listened to the home sec discussing the changes on the Laura K show on Sunday, such a difference in attitude and confidence.
The proof will be in the results which we won't see for a considerable time. I think most people are more concerned about illegal migration/boat people and I didn't hear any mention of that. When will they realise this?
I was hoping someone would ask what he thought of the recent idea that Trump is considering moving illegals to Rwanda presumably to be housed in the accommodation we paid for via the Tory govt and that labout dismissed out of hand.

Elegran

What is the source of it being "only people with a degree" who will be allowed into the country? I thought it was "people with skills". There are many skills that don't need a degree, skills which involve getting your hands dirty or having years of experience doing a trade. All of them are needed and will bring a benefit to the country.

This was told to LK by Yvette Cooper yesterday. So that is the source. It is to stop the many unskilled workers coming into the country.

Elegran

What is the source of it being "only people with a degree" who will be allowed into the country? I thought it was "people with skills". There are many skills that don't need a degree, skills which involve getting your hands dirty or having years of experience doing a trade. All of them are needed and will bring a benefit to the country.

^Raising Skilled Worker threshold – skilled must mean skilled
Lifting the level for skilled workers back to RQF 6 (Graduate level) and above. Salary thresholds will rise.^

www.gov.uk/government/news/immigration-white-paper-to-reduce-migration-and-strengthen-border

Calendargirl

But years ago, most nurses who did the ‘caring’ jobs, involving bedpans and personal care, many of these student nurses would be qualified by the time they were 22.

Why does 22 seem too young in 2025?

This is an interesting question, if rather off topic. I wonder if it could be that the old style nurses uniforms gave the young girls a professional look, that todays more casual ( and more practical) uniform does not.

Wyllow3

Teasel it is - an accusation to say of a PM that "he doesn't like or understand politics" especially the understand bit! something you remember as maybe from one newspaper some time ago is hardly fair or just about someone.

Not asking for an essay but just the source. There's so much on social media that is simply made up.

That is so true. I would have to trawl through back issues of the Mail to try to find it! Simply quoting a remark made by a politician is not, to my mind, an accusation but we will have to agree to differ. He always does look like a rabbit caught in the headlights though, so not too difficult to imagine him saying that!

AGAA4

Elegran

What is the source of it being "only people with a degree" who will be allowed into the country? I thought it was "people with skills". There are many skills that don't need a degree, skills which involve getting your hands dirty or having years of experience doing a trade. All of them are needed and will bring a benefit to the country.

This was told to LK by Yvette Cooper yesterday. So that is the source. It is to stop the many unskilled workers coming into the country.

It is in the white paper, but the White Paper also lays out terms and conditions for unskilled workers in certain sectors to enter the country. Its tedious reading, (yes have done it for that sector) but the general gist is that employers have to show they are trying to recruit home grown labour in order to permit visas.

Allira

lafergar

I wonder where people are going to learn English? There is practically nothing available. From their phones I suppose.

There are excellent online courses.

Students from around the world often learn English online with approved colleges before they apply to emigrate to countries where English is the official language.

Yes of course there are on line courses?

Hopefully there will be investment in college based ESOL courses and some innovative thinking around providing creches.

Thanks Wyllow.
Its tedious reading

I didn't get that far 😀

Boz

Its all about perception really and Labour, unless they lurch to the right sharply, will always take an approach to immigration that will not offend their ethnic vote.
If I was eyeing up the UK from across the channel, for example, any Labour plans would not put me off; whereas Reform would scare me, even if the threat is uncertainty.
These plans will not appease the Red Wall, who will switch to Reform at the next GE. They do not care what Starmer does abroad - they see over-immigration at the sharp end and care nothing for the chattering clamour of middle class intelectuals,

Mystic Boz - how wonderful. "... the Red Wall, who will switch to Reform at the next GE". Could you tell me when I will win the lottery, please?

"If I was eyeing up the UK from across the channel, for example, any Labour plans would not put me off"

Interesting. The Labour Party was left to deal with a France that had a law (their country, their laws) that did not allow those policing the coast to enter the water to bring people back to their shore. This meant people could wade out and wait for what was basically a taxi service of boats comimg from further down the coast.

Under the new agreement reached by this government, French coastguards and patrol vessels gain the authority from their government to operate in the water to apprehend or divert boats carrying migrants. They may now facilitate the return or transfer of individuals to shore once intercepted and the agreement strengthens joint patrols and information sharing between French and UK authorities.

This development is yet another of Starmer's small steps to manage migration flows more effectively, reduce dangerous crossings, and enhance border security.

Why do you not know this?

Social care funding was slashed by central government during austerity. Local authorities have had to find the money. Whoever thought this was a good idea in the first place?

Social Care should never have been farmed out in the first place.