MP holds summit with hospitality leaders to discuss Government plans for immigration

Local MP Tim Farron met with leaders of the Lake District's hospitality industry yesterday in Windermere to hear their concerns over the Government's new Immigration Bill.

Many shared Tim's fears that the proposal to stop EU migrants from getting a skilled work visa unless they find a job which pays at least £30,000 could potentially damage the industry.

One hotelier told Tim that they were particularly worried as currently an estimated 70% of their staff are from the EU.

Tim will now try and bid for a meeting with the Immigration Minister on behalf of the tourism industry in Cumbria over the proposed wage gap for workers from the EU.

Tim said: "I want to say a big thank you to everyone who came along to the meeting yesterday.

"There was a clear consensus around the table that a £30,000 cap, nowhere near the average wage in hospitality, is completely unrealistic and seriously harmful to the Lake District tourism industry.

"And with only 270 people registered as unemployed in Westmorland and Lonsdale there is no untapped pool of local labour waiting to fill the thousands of vacancies this Government will force on the industry.

"I look forward to continuing to work with representatives from across the hospitality sector to encourage the Government to change their minds."