Bold plan to end the migration free-for-all

‘ENOUGH is enough,’ Home Secretary James Cleverly thundered, as he announced new measures to cut soaring legal immigration. He’s right, of course, but why has it taken so long to realise it?

Net migration into Britain was 1.3million in the past two years alone. Already unsustainably high in previous years, this was stratospheric – the equivalent of a city the size of Birmingham.

For a government committed to controlling our borders it has been deeply wounding, allowing the Tories to be outflanked over what should be one of its greatest strengths.

So, it’s hugely welcome that Mr Cleverly is determined to take bold action to slash numbers. Voters will take some convincing that he can deliver, of course. And even if he can, will it be enough?

He pledges to bring net migration down by 300,000. But that would still leave a total of more than 400,000, higher than any other year before 2021. It is simply too many, adding to the already crippling strain on our public services.

His new plan is to raise the minimum salary threshold for work visas to £38,700, stop overseas students and care workers from bringing in family members and end the practice whereby students can transfer to work visas before finishing their courses.

Despite the complaints of some employers who fear being deprived of cheap labour, these are all sensible measures. With a million job vacancies in this country, it’s time to train up home-grown staff – not rely on a seemingly endless stream of foreign workers to plug the gaps.

There is much to do if the Tories are to restore their reputation as the party of migration control. This was an important step forward.