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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
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Andy Beill

Talking Point: Should immigration rules be relaxed to help fill London’s skill shortage?

Sadiq Khan says businesses in London are suffering from skills shortages

(Picture: PA Archive / PA Images)

Sadiq Khan will use his set-piece annual Mansion House speech to suggest devolving powers to London in order to retain talent.

The loss of more than 80,000 EU-born workers was putting a “huge strain” on the capital’s hospitality and construction industries, the mayor will say, as he takes aim at the Government’s “hard-line” version of Brexit.

In his speech, he is expected to cite figures: “The number of businesses in our city experiencing at least one skills shortage has now risen to almost seven in 10.”

However, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has previously ruled out joining the European single market and customs union – putting him at odds with Mr Khan, who says it’s time for a “pragmatic debate”.

Should immigration rules be relaxed to help fill London’s skill shortage? Let us know in the comments or on our Instagram for your chance to be featured on the ES website.

Yesterday we asked: Are London public services worth a council tax hike?

The simple answer from @uta1886 on Twitter and Facebook users Plesca Petru and Steven Smith was: “No.”

Meanwhile, Evening Standard user SL46DW commented: “Try living in Dorset where the increase in council tax runs into three figures for far less in the way of services.”

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