Swinney says Scottish government will sponsor visas for foreign care workers

John Swinney said in his speech that the UK government’s decision to restrict overseas care workers was deeply damaging. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

John Swinney has said the Scottish government will help hundreds of overseas care workers stay in the UK, as he attacked Westminster for its rising hostility to immigrants.

The first minister said it was unfair Scotland’s older people had to “pay the price for Westminster’s prejudice”, and that his devolved government would sponsor visa applications for workers needed to staff care homes, at a cost of about £500,000.