Immigration curbs will be disaster for recovering Lake District hospitality businesses, MP warns ministers

On the floor of the House of Commons last night, South Lakes MP Tim Farron told ministers that plans to make it much more difficult to employ workers from outside of the UK would be devastating for struggling hospitality businesses in the Lake District.

MPs were debating the Government's Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination Bill which would mean people from outside the UK would only be able to get a work visa if they find a job which pays at least £26,500 a year.

Speaking in Parliament, Tim said: "The Lake District hospitality industry is possibly the most hard-hit part of the UK ​economy as a result of the coronavirus.

"May I point out also that 20,000 people working in that industry are from outside the UK, and if we say to 90% of them, 'You are not welcome here unless you're earning a figure that your employers cannot afford to pay', that would deal an appalling hand to, and damage massively, an industry that is struggling to cope with the COVID crisis?

"It is time for politics that is more practical and less political."