Labour has “no plans” to change rules barring health and care workers from bringing their families to the UK on their visas, despite a plummeting number of NHS staff since the rules were changed earlier this year. Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said the health service had become too reliant on overseas staff and the party would aim to recruit and train workers from the UK. Numbers applying for a health and care worker visa have dropped by 76% this year since the change, which the government hailed as a success in its bid to cut legal migration, but which experts said would have a significant impact on the health service.
The development comes as the government on Wednesday confirmed in writing for the first time that no asylum seekers will be flown to Rwanda before the general election. At an election campaign stop in Worcester, Streeting told reporters that the NHS workforce was under huge pressure, but said there were no plans to change the rules. He said it was also “immoral and unethical” to recruit from countries with severe shortages of health workers – those that come under the WHO’s red list – and said Labour would not continue that practice.
“I’m not aware of any plans by Yvette Cooper to change those rules,” said Streeting. “Obviously, we’re working really closely together and I want to make sure that by developing our homegrown talent, I help Yvette to reduce net migration.” He added: “I think under the Conservatives, we’v.
