The deputy leader of Reform UK has suggested that the UK should adopt a “one in, one out” approach to immigration. This comes as MPs rejected requests to temporarily halt all types of immigration.
Richard Tice proposed a “net zero immigration” policy to MPs. He said that with proper management, legal migration could be made manageable.
This happened while MPs were discussing a petition that called for a “tougher stance” on immigration. The petition wanted to pause both legal and illegal migration to the UK for five years.
During a debate in Westminster Hall, Mr Tice said, “If things are done poorly, like anything in life, problems occur. That’s why we’re in the current situation because of the failures of the previous government. Legal migration, if managed competently, should be manageable. But the British people are very worried about the strain on housing and public services, which is caused by population growth.”
The Boston and Skegness MP further stated, “The population is growing too fast. We can’t handle our existing population, and there’s a need for a pause. A net zero immigration policy, where for every person who comes in, one goes out. Around 400,000 people leave the UK each year, and we could welcome a similar number. It would fluctuate. But it should be highly skilled and highly qualified people, especially in areas where we have shortages, while we train our own workforce.”
In other parts of the debate, Labour MP Jacob Collier said that following the petition’s demands would make Liz Truss seem like a saint. The MP for Burton and Uttoxeter said, “If we did what the petitioners want, we’d make Liz Truss look saintly and lose the rich cultural diversity that makes our country great. Migrants make up one – fifth of our workforce. The NHS alone depends on over 160,000 overseas staff. If we stop all immigration tomorrow, who will fill these jobs? Who will take care of our sick, drive our buses, or work in our hospitality industry?”
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson (Ashfield) interjected, “He asks who will fill the skills or labour gap. What about the seven million people in this country who are not working?”
Mr Collier responded, “It’s the government’s plan to train more British people and get them into sectors like healthcare and others.”
Labour MP Dave Robertson argued that stopping all migration is not the easy solution to “fix” problems like long healthcare waiting times, employment levels, or the economy. He said, “There’s clearly a feeling in the country that immigration is too high. I think it shows how attractive the UK is that so many people want to come and share our British values. But it’s hard for some people to feel proud when they see closed shops, poorly – paid jobs despite long hours, difficulty seeing a doctor or dentist, not being able to afford rent or buy a house. Fixing these problems is difficult and complex. Stopping immigration is a policy option, but it won’t solve all these issues.”
The MP for Lichfield also said that migrants “don’t take jobs from a fixed number available” and the impact of migration on the economy is “quite small”. Home Office minister Dan Jarvis said, “Our borders need to be secure, and the rules will be enforced. As we’ve seen in recent years, when that doesn’t happen, the consequences are serious. At the same time, legal migration has benefited our country in many ways.” He added, “The problems arise when the numbers become too large and the system lacks order and control. So, I would politely tell the petitioners that the solution to these challenges is not closing borders or pausing immigration, but ensuring our approach is fair, effective, and in the national interest.”
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