Robert Jenrick pledges to put ‘British workers first, migrants second’ as he outlines Reform’s new business tax plans

Robert Jenrick has pledged that Reform will put “British workers first, migrants second” in Government.

To achieve this aim, the Reform economics spokesman announced plans to increase taxes for businesses that employ foreign workers.

The policy would slash employers' National Insurance contributions for British workers while maintaining the current rate for foreign employees, giving firms a tax incentive to recruit from the domestic workforce.

Businesses hiring overseas workers would also be required to pay an additional “migrant labour levy”, making foreign employees more expensive.

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

“Under Reform, it will be British workers first, migrant workers second,” Mr Jenrick said at a press conference.

“The tax reform that I'm announcing today will end the cheap migrant labour racket once and for all.

“The experiment of letting millions of people into the country, predominantly low-wage migrants, as millions of Brits languish on benefits, has been nothing short of a catastrophe.

“One in six working-age British people is now on out-of-work benefits. Seven million people in the last six years. That is up by 3 million.

“In that time, we've let in 5 million migrants, many doing jobs that the Brits should be doing,” The Reform economics spokesman said.

“This combination of unskilled migration and a growing number of Brits on benefits has been a fiscal, a social and a cultural disaster.

“Reform is going to end it,” Mr Jenrick pledged.

“We won't be renewing the visas of millions of low-wage migrants, and many not working at all. We'll be scrapping indefinite leave to remain.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Keir Starmer announces social media ban for under-16s as he vows to protect children online
• Nigel Farage issues 'back door' digital ID warning as PM confirms social media ban
• Keir Starmer to deny Armed Forces desperately-needed cash in crushing blow to new minister

“Millions will leave, and we will be shifting millions of Brits off welfare and back into those freed-up jobs.”

Mr Jenrick explained that Reform would enact two “big changes” to achieve these ends.

“We are going to scrap Rachael Reeves's disastrous rise in the rate of employers' National Insurance.

“The jobs tax is in large part why our economy has ground to a halt. Since its introduction, unemployment has risen by nearly 200,000, and we've got near-record youth unemployment.

“I can't tell you how many businesses I have spoken to across the country, large and small, that are despairing right now about this job-destroying, growth-sapping act of self-harm that has destroyed economic opportunities in this country.”

He also pledged to scrap the immigration skills charge.

“We're going to replace it with a graduated levy on employers, an annual fee for each foreign worker they employ.

“This new tax is going to particularly hit cheap foreign labour, as their visas begin to run out and incentivise the businesses that employ them to replace them quickly, as soon as possible, with Brits who are currently languishing on benefits.

“It is high time that the British government put the interests of British workers first and migrant labour second,” The Reform economics spokesman reiterated.

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter