David Blunkett backs skilled migrants to train British workers

Published: 21 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Former UK home and education secretary David Blunkett has expressed strong support for a proposal that would see skilled migrants actively train British workers, in a bid to improve public attitudes toward immigration and address skills shortages across the country.

The proposal, developed by the Good Growth Foundation, a thinktank with close links to Labour ministers, calls for a new visa route under which skilled migrants would spend a portion of their time mentoring and training UK-based employees in their respective fields. This “work and teach” visa aims to ensure that immigration directly contributes to the development of local skills, offering both economic and social benefits.

Polling conducted as part of the report indicates that the initiative could significantly reduce public concern about immigration. Initial surveys suggested that 40% of respondents were very concerned about the impact of immigration on the UK labour market by 2029, while 27% were somewhat concerned and 25% expressed little or no concern. However, when respondents were presented with the concept of the “work and teach” visa, the proportion of those very concerned fell to 22%, with 33% somewhat concerned and 35% not very or not at all concerned.

Blunkett, who served as home secretary between 2001 and 2004, argued that directly linking immigration with skills development represents a practical and forward-looking solution to public unease. “The public’s unease about immigration cannot be separated from their frustration about opportunity. When people feel locked out of progress, resentment grows; when they see investment in skills and prospects, confidence returns,” he said.

He described the plan as a “serious, pragmatic approach to ‘take back control’ in the truest sense – not through slogans or scapegoating, but by giving people real power over their own lives and the confidence of aspiration once again.”

The report, which has been circulated to ministers ahead of the government’s budget in November, emphasises the centrality of skills policy to economic growth and social cohesion. In the foreword, Blunkett, who also served as work and pensions secretary, wrote that skills policy should be viewed “not as an add-on but as the foundation of a fair, confident and productive country.”

Labour’s recent cabinet reshuffle moved responsibility for the skills brief from the Department for Education to the Department for Work and Pensions under Pat McFadden, highlighting the government’s intention to prioritise skills policy as part of its wider economic and social agenda.

The proposal comes amid broader reforms intended to ensure that migrants contribute meaningfully to UK society. In September, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans to introduce stricter conditions for migrants seeking indefinite leave to remain. These include demonstrating advanced proficiency in English, maintaining a clean criminal record, and engaging in volunteering or community work.

New rules to take effect next year will also require certain skilled workers to meet an A-level standard in English to qualify for a visa, part of an effort to ensure that migration supports workforce productivity and integration.

Praful Nargund, director of the Good Growth Foundation, said that the initiative offers a constructive alternative to populist anti-immigration rhetoric. “You can’t out-Farage Farage. We need a progressive vision on immigration which welcomes contribution and commitment to our country while opening up opportunity here in Britain too,” he said.

“Linking immigration and skills reform flips the narrative from pressures to partnership, giving new arrivals and British workers the chance to work together to fix our country,” Nargund added, highlighting the long-term economic and social advantages of combining immigration policy with skills development.

The report argues that sectors with acute labour shortages, such as healthcare, technology, and advanced manufacturing, would benefit most from the proposed visa route, ensuring that both British and migrant workers acquire the skills needed to meet the evolving demands of the economy.

By encouraging collaboration between skilled migrants and local employees, the initiative aims to foster mutual understanding and reduce the social tensions often associated with migration debates. Experts suggest that this approach could help shift the public conversation on immigration from one focused on competition to one centred on partnership, productivity, and shared prosperity.

Blunkett concluded by urging policymakers to treat immigration and skills development as interconnected policy areas, stating that “investment in human capital is the surest way to create opportunity, reduce resentment, and strengthen social cohesion.” With the UK facing a complex combination of skills shortages, an ageing workforce, and public concern over immigration, the proposal has been hailed by advocates as a timely and innovative solution.