Latest news with #ScottishCare
The National
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Keir Starmer suggests he didn't check 'island of strangers' speech
Speaking to the Observer, the Prime Minister said he should have held the speech "up to the light a bit more" before delivering it to the nation. Starmer was widely compared to Enoch Powell after he said Britain risked becoming an "island of strangers" if measures were not implemented to curb migration. It was criticised for echoing Powell's 1968 declaration that Brits had "found themselves made strangers in their own country". The CEO of Scottish Care, Donald MacAskill, told The National the speech had "echoes of Powell at his worst". Starmer said he "deeply regrets" using the phrase, telling the paper that he was not "in the best state to make a big speech" after his family home had been targeted in a firebomb attack days before. 'It's fair to say I wasn't in the best state to make a big speech,' he said. READ MORE: Scotland reacts as Labour announce 'two-tier' benefits U-turn 'I was really, really worried. I almost said: 'I won't do the bloody press conference.' Vic [Starmer's wife] was really shaken up as, in truth, was I. "It was just a case of reading the words out and getting through it somehow." He went on: "I wouldn't have used those words if I had known they were, or even would be interpreted as an echo of Powell. 'I had no idea – and my speechwriters didn't know either. "I'll give you the honest truth: I deeply regret using it.' He then said he should have read through the speech properly and 'held it up to the light a bit more'. The Prime Minister also admitted there were 'problems with the language' in his foreword to the policy document that said the record high numbers of immigrants entering the UK under the last government had done 'incalculable damage' to the country. At the time of the speech, Starmer said he "completely rejected" any comparison to Powell. READ MORE: Question Time called out as Reform councillor on St Andrews panel Powell (below) was sacked from the Conservative frontbench as a result of making his 1968 speech and it outraged his senior colleagues at the time. In the speech, Starmer also said the Labour Government would 'take back control of our borders' and close the book on a 'squalid chapter' for politics and the economy. The UK Government is set to close the care worker visa route as part of new restrictions which aim to cut the number of low-skilled foreign workers by about 50,000 this year. Under white paper proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship, but so-called 'high-contributing' individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system. Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Active Care Group wins Inclusive Tech Champion Award at the Scottish Care, Care Tech Awards 2025
Active Care Group has been awarded the Inclusive Tech Champion Award, in recognition of improving access to technology for marginalised groups through its dedicated colleague app, ECHO, at the Scottish Care, Care Tech Awards 2025, held at The Studio in Glasgow on June 19. Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Launched just over a year ago, ECHO has played a key role in strengthening the workplace culture within Active Care Group by keeping their colleagues connected, informed, and supported, encompassing features like news, wellbeing tools, policies, and support services, which are all designed to help staff feel engaged and valued. Active Care Group was joined by other organisations on the night, all being recognised for using technology to help make a positive impact on social care across Scotland in a variety of ways. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Karen Langton, Chief People Officer at Active Care Group, said: 'This recognition embodies the dedication and purpose behind all our efforts at Active Care Group. I'm immensely proud of the team for developing a platform that unites our colleagues and supports them throughout their journey.' Active Care Group Wins Inclusive Tech Champion Award at the Scottish Care, Care Tech Awards
STV News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- STV News
What do Keir Starmer's immigration changes mean for Scotland?
A major immigration shake-up is on the horizon after Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a suite of upcoming changes on Monday morning. The changes include making migrants wait ten years rather than five to apply for settlement or citizenship, increasing the required standards of English for those coming to the UK, and tightening tests on colleges and universities offering places to foreign students. The proposals would also 'close social care visas to new applications' from abroad. It's all part of Starmer's promise to bring immigration down. 'Make no mistake, this plan means migration will fall. That's a promise,' Starmer said. The UK Government said that 'every part of the system is being tightened'. If approved, these changes will be rolled out across the UK – including Scotland where MSPs have little to no control over immigration and visa policy. But what does it mean for people in Scotland and who does it affect? Some of the changes, like new English language requirements and 'earned' citizenship requirements will affect most people who live and work in the UK through a visa. However, Starmer's Government will continue to offer a shorter pathway to settlement for non-UK dependents of British citizens for five years. 'We will retain existing safeguards to protect the vulnerable, including settlement rights for victims of domestic violence and abuse,' the white paper added. Other changes are specifically aimed at immigrants on care worker visas, student and graduate visas, or low-skilled immigrant work visas. If Starmer's changes are approved, Westminster will 'close social care visas to new applications from abroad'. Home secretary Yvette Cooper said that the overseas recruitment for care worker will be stopped as part of plans to reduce 'lower-skilled' visas by 'up to 50,000' in the next year. Cooper said the rules around the system will change to 'prevent' it being used 'to recruit from abroad'. For a transition period until 2028, the Government will permit visa extensions for those already in the country with working rights, but this will be kept under review. Cooper said: 'We will allow them to continue to extend visas and also to recruit from more than 10,000 people who came on a care worker visa, where the sponsorship visa was cancelled'. However, Dr Donald Macaskil, CEO of Scottish Care, said the UK Government direction of travel 'continues to reflect a hostile and dehumanising culture' that contradicts the 'values of compassion and care' that underpin the care sector in Scotland. 'The potential ending of the social care visa route would not only be irresponsible, but it would also be reckless. It would put lives, services, and whole communities at risk,' Macaskill said. Starmer's Government also wants to raise the level of skilled workers back to the 'highly skilled' undergraduate degree level or above. The Government said this approach would see the number of eligible roles for immigrants 'reduced by around 180 occupations'. It's part of Labour's plan to crack down on lower-skilled worker visas, which it says have increased in recent years. The UK Government will also establish a 'temporary shortage list' for below degree level jobs, which would provide 'time-limited access' to the points-based immigration system. The shortage list would also require a workforce strategy aimed at sourcing British workers for those roles in the long term. The Government also wants to raise the Immigration Skills Charge, a fee paid by UK employers when they apply for a Skilled Worker visa, by 32% – in line with inflation. The immigration changes will also impact Scottish universities and international students coming to the UK. Starmer's proposals would reduce the length of time international graduates can remain in the UK after their studies to just 18 months — down from the current two-year post-grad visa. The Government said it will also explore introducing a levy on higher education provider income from international students, which would be reinvested into skills. It also intends to strengthen the requirements that all sponsoring institutions must meet in order to recruit international students. Claire McPherson, director of Universities Scotland – the representative body of Scotland's 19 higher education institutions, said many of the changes will 'help preserve an internationally competitive offer to international students'. 'Today's confirmation that the graduate route will remain in place, with some minor changes will offer some relief to institutions even if it is not the direction we wanted to see UK Government policy go in,' she said. However, there are other aspects of the changes that Scottish Universities need to understand in 'greater detail' – including clarification that a UK Government levy will not apply to Scotland's universities in a devolved context 'The financial challenges facing Scotland's universities are well known,' Ms McPherson said. 'International tuition fees are already subsidising the higher education of Scotland's home students and our research output. A levy on this much-needed income would be unwelcome given the financial pressures already facing the sector.' Stricter English language requirements are also on the way for migrants. Skilled workers are already required to speak English to an intermediate level – B1 on the Common European Framework for Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale. However, the new rules would require skilled workers to speak English at upper intermediate level (CEFR B2) The UK Government will also introduce a new basic English language requirement (CEFR A1) for all adult dependents of workers and students with the aim of increasing this requirement over time. 'We will introduce requirements to demonstrate progression to level A2 (Basic User) for any visa extension, and B2 (Independent User) for settlement,' the white paper states. 'We will increase our existing requirements for settlement across the majority of immigration routes from B1 to B2 (Independent User).' These changes have all been laid out in the UK Labour Government immigration White Paper, which is a government policy document setting out their proposals for future legislation. It provides details about bills that are being planned by the government. The new rules laid out in the report will still need to go through Parliamentary debates and procedures before they come into affect. A lot could change in that time. Immigration is also a 'reserved' matter, meaning the UK Government retains control over immigration and visa policies and rules even though they have effect in Scotland and beyond. In other words, it's an area where the Scottish Parliament has little say or control. However, First Minister John Swinney and Scotland's equalities minister have both criticised the reforms as 'damaging' to the Scottish economy, NHS, social care, and universities. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The National
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
SNP demands full impact assessment of ‘damaging' migration plans
In a letter to the Prime Minister, SNP economy spokesperson Dave Doogan said the plans represent a 'clear danger to Scotland's NHS and social care services, businesses and economic growth' and challenged the Prime Minister to be 'honest with voters and spell out, in detail, the devastating impact the evidence shows your plans will inflict on Scottish public services, Scottish businesses – and those across the UK.' It comes amid a backlash from the care sector, and other industries, over the plans, which would restrict the recruitment of workers. Scottish Care has expressed 'deep concern' over the proposed removal of the care visa route, which it says 'would be profoundly damaging to Scotland's social care sector and fails to recognise the country's distinct demographic and workforce challenges putting vital services at risk and directly harming those who rely on them. READ MORE: MSPs vote in favour of assisted dying bill in landmark vote at Holyrood In effect, these proposed changes are a direct assault on thousands of our citizens who rely on care and support to live their lives.' Dr Donald Macaskill, CEO of Scottish Care, warned: 'The UK Government's direction of travel on immigration continues to reflect a hostile and dehumanising culture that fundamentally contradicts the values of compassion and care that underpin our sector in Scotland. The potential ending of the social care visa route would not only be irresponsible, but it would also be reckless. 'It would put lives, services, and whole communities at risk. Scotland needs a workforce immigration policy that is fair, humane, and rooted in the needs of our population, not driven by political headlines or populist sentiment. Anything less fails the people of Scotland.' During the UK General Election, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar promised voters the Labour Party would be open to introducing a Scottish visa and devolving immigration powers to Scotland. Yet last month Labour MPs, led by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, blocked a bill by the SNP's Stephen Gethins to devolve migration powers to Scotland and introduce a Scottish visa route. In his letter, Doogan states: 'Dear Sir Keir, I am writing to request that you immediately publish a full and detailed UK government impact assessment of the damage the Labour Party's hostile migration plans will do to Scotland's NHS and our economy. 'Since you outlined your plans on Monday, there has been a widespread backlash from NHS and social care services – and from key sectors across the Scottish and UK economies. 'There is real concern that the plans are a clear danger to Scotland's NHS and social care services, businesses and economic growth – and that they will leave families and communities across Scotland worse off. 'It is essential that you are honest with voters and spell out, in detail, the devastating impact the evidence shows your plans will inflict on Scottish public services, Scottish businesses – and those across the UK. 'Our NHS and care sector, public services and businesses have already been hit hard by the Labour government's National Insurance jobs tax hike and Brexit policies, which have increased costs, caused staffing shortages and reduced economic growth. READ MORE: Anas Sarwar slapped down by UK bosses again on Scottish immigration policy 'They will now be dealt another hammer blow from the Labour government's hostile migration policies, which will likely cause a crisis in social care and long-term damage to the economy. 'When you ran for the Labour Party leadership, you promised 'we welcome migrants, we don't scapegoat them ... we have to make the case for the benefits of migration'. But just like the many other broken promises you made, that pledge now lies in tatters as you shamelessly imitate Nigel Farage and lurch to the right. 'In a speech reminiscent of Enoch Powell, you outlined policies that will actively damage Scotland's public services, our businesses and the prosperity of our economy. The only person who will benefit from your damaging migration plan is Nigel Farage – who, it seems, is already in control of the UK Government and calling the shots at Westminster. 'Far from being an 'island of strangers' as your xenophobic dog whistle language would have us believe, Scotland's diverse communities have been built on the contribution of migrants from all over the world. We welcome and value the contribution they make to boosting our economy, improving our public services, and enriching our society. 'In contrast, the thing many people in Scotland find increasingly unrecognisable is the Labour Party, which has broken its promises, imposed damaging austerity cuts and tax hikes, and is now morphing into a Nigel Farage tribute act. Scotland must not be treated as an afterthought by this Labour government – and our economic interests, needs and values must not be sidelined. 'I assume you wouldn't have announced these hostile migration policies without undertaking a full and detailed assessment of the impact they will have on Scotland and the UK. If you stand by them, you should have no problem publishing a full impact assessment without delay.'
The National
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Keir Starmer 'completely rejects' comparisons with Enoch Powell
In his early morning news conference on Monday announcing measures to curb migration, Starmer said Britain risks becoming an "island of strangers" which some have said echoes Powell's 1968 declaration that Brits had "found themselves made strangers in their own country". But Starmer's official spokesperson told journalists: "The prime minister rejects those comparisons and absolutely stands behind the argument he was making." The spokesperson added that reducing migration will mean a boost in domestic skills training and capacity. He also doubled down on Starmer's words that migration had done "incalculable damage". READ MORE: John Swinney: Scotland will have independence option while I'm leader The spokesperson said: "We have welcomed immigrants for decades, but [immigration is] too high and must come down." Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also dodged questions in Tuesday morning's media rounds about whether Starmer's speech echoed former Conservative MP Powell. At the end of a three-minute grilling on Good Morning Britain where host Susanna Reid repeatedly pressed for answers, Cooper said she did not know Starmer was going to use the phrase, but refused to say whether she would have used such language herself. Scottish Care CEO Donald Macaskill was one of many to compare Starmer to Powell, telling The National he felt the language used by the Prime Minister had "echoes of Powell at his worst". Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell also said that Starmer was 'reflecting the language' of Powell's 1968 speech and Labour backbencher Olivia Blake said what Starmer said might 'risk legitimising the same far-right violence we saw in last year's summer riots.' Powell's speech at the time outraged members of the Conservatives so much he was later sacked from the Cabinet. Starmer was speaking ahead of the publication of a white paper called Restoring Control Over The Immigration System. READ MORE: Anas Sarwar stays silent as UK Labour undermine him on immigration Among the proposals are plans to introduce English tests for all visa applicants and reducing overseas recruitment of care workers. Migrants will have to live in the UK for a decade before they can apply for citizenship. The change from five to 10 years will come with exceptions for people who make a "high contribution" to the economy or society, who will able to be fast-tracked for permanent settlement rights. Meanwhile, skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages. Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said Starmer has been 'listening and learning' from his party following the speech.
