PM speech: Starmer slams ‘reliance’ on migration as Skills England launched

Prime Minister Keir Starmer launched a new public body today with the aim of boosting Britain’s skills training and cutting “over-reliance” on workers from overseas.

Skills England will aim to bring together central and local government, businesses, training providers and unions to address the nation’s skills needs over the coming years.

It is also expected to work alongside the Migration Advisory Committee to identify where domestic skills can be developed to reduce the need for migrant workers.

The Sun reported the Prime Minister would say in a speech this morning: “All too often young people in our country have been let down — not given access to the right opportunities or training in their community.

“That’s created an over-reliance in our economy on higher and higher levels of migration.”

In the speech, Starmer added: “We’re going to fire up the training of more UK workers and match people’s aspirations, which I know are there, with more opportunity. And in doing this, we will drive growth. Because if there’s one thing we know, that will drive innovation and accelerate productivity.”

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According to Department for Education statistics, skills shortages doubled to more than half a million between 2017 and 2022 and account for more than a third of job vacancies.

Skills England is expected to be phased in over the next nine to 12 months, with Richard Pennycook CBE, former chief executive of the Co-operative Group, appointed as interim chair by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.

She said: “The skills system we inherited is fragmented and broken. Employers want to invest in their workers but for too long have been held back from accessing the training they need.

“Skills England will jumpstart young people’s careers and galvanise local economies. It will bring businesses together with trade unions, mayors, universities, colleges and training providers to give us a complete picture of skills gaps nationwide, boost growth in all corners of the country and give people the opportunity to get on in life.”

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