Glen Reynolds: Tory migration measures “disastrous” for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
07/12/23
The SNP candidate for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine has said recent Tory plans to curb migration will be “disastrous” for businesses and public services, like our NHS and care sector, in the North East.
This week, the Tory government at Westminster announced stricter regulations on people from outside the UK coming to work in Scotland – including a minimum salary requirement of £38,700, and a ban on care workers bringing family to the country.
Glen Reynolds has said that such policies will be a disaster for NHS Grampian and key industries in the constituency that have already been hammered by the Tories’ cost of living crisis and broken Brexit.
The SNP candidate for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine has said that these new measures from the Tory UK government are in stark contrast to the SNP Scottish government’s vision for an inclusive and fair migration policy – one that understands the importance of migration in safeguarding the future of Scotland’s public services, strengthening our economy, and enriching our culture.
Commenting, Mr Reynolds said: “Scotland has an ageing population, and our coveted public services rely on sustaining a strong, skilled workforce if we are to continue to provide the same levels of excellent delivery – we need to be encouraging more people to move to Scotland, not putting barriers in their way.
“These newly announced measures from the Tory government are as provincial as they are dangerous and will be sure to store up serious problems down the line for NHS Grampian as well as care, tourism, hospitality and other industry sectors here in the North East.
“In contrast, the SNP Scottish government has been clear in its open position on immigration, as outlined in the Building a New Scotland series of papers, which stress the vital importance of a humane and principled migration policy after independence – incomparable to the hostile environment of Tory Britain.
“Only with independence can Scotland continue to attract workers from overseas with a welcoming and forward-thinking immigration policy that ensures West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine’s public services and economy stay strong for generations to come.”