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Hospital consultants facing curbs PM to 'tighten' migration rules
(20 minutes later)
Some hospital consultants and civil engineers from outside Europe will no longer be able to move to work in the UK, Gordon Brown is expected to say. Gordon Brown has promised to "tighten" the UK's immigration rules by removing more professions from a shortage list.
In a speech on immigration, he will say paediatricians and plastic surgeons will be among those cut from the list of shortage occupations. The prime minister said net migration was already being cut and that these changes would ensure this continues while maintaining "flexibility".
He will also say that people who voice concern over levels of immigration should not be dismissed as "racists". He added that people who voice concern over levels of immigration should not be dismissed as "racists".
The Tories said Mr Brown was toughening up his rhetoric rather than policy. The Conservatives said Mr Brown was toughening up his rhetoric but not changing "very much".
The prime minister's speech, in west London, comes amid criticism that immigration policy is ineffective and predictions that the UK's population is set to reach 70 million.The prime minister's speech, in west London, comes amid criticism that immigration policy is ineffective and predictions that the UK's population is set to reach 70 million.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson has admitted that the government has taken "a long time" to deal properly with the issue.Home Secretary Alan Johnson has admitted that the government has taken "a long time" to deal properly with the issue.
'Lazy elitism''Lazy elitism'
Mr Brown will defend the government's points-based system for deciding which migrants from outside the European Economic Area - made up of the EU states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway - and Switzerland should be accepted. Mr Brown defended the government's points-based system for deciding which migrants from outside the European Economic Area - made up of the EU states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway - and Switzerland should be accepted.
He will argue that it has contributed to a 44% fall in inward migration over the past year. He argued that it had contributed to a 44% fall in inward migration over the past year.
The prime minister will announce that civil engineers, aircraft engineers and some hospital consultants are to be removed from a list of professions for which the country can recruit from further afield because of a shortage of skilled people within Europe. Mr Brown said the importance of "shortage" professions would be looked at in the near future.
People want to be assured that newcomers will accept the responsibilities as well as the rights that come with living here Gordon BrownPeople want to be assured that newcomers will accept the responsibilities as well as the rights that come with living here Gordon Brown
He will add: "I have never agreed with the lazy elitism that dismisses immigration as an issue, or portrays anyone who has concerns about immigration as a racist. Immigration is not an issue for fringe parties nor a taboo subject. He added: "I have never agreed with the lazy elitism that dismisses immigration as an issue, or portrays anyone who has concerns about immigration as a racist. Immigration is not an issue for fringe parties nor a taboo subject.
"It is a question at the heart of our politics, a question about what it means to be British; about the values we hold dear and the responsibilities we expect of those coming into our country; about how we secure the skills we need to compete in the global economy; about how we preserve and strengthen our communities.""It is a question at the heart of our politics, a question about what it means to be British; about the values we hold dear and the responsibilities we expect of those coming into our country; about how we secure the skills we need to compete in the global economy; about how we preserve and strengthen our communities."
70 million70 million
Mr Brown will say: "If the main effect of immigration on your life is to make it easier to find a plumber, or when you see doctors and nurses from overseas in your local hospital, you are likely to think more about the benefits of migration than the possible costs. Mr Brown said: "If the main effect of immigration on your life is to make it easier to find a plumber, or when you see doctors and nurses from overseas in your local hospital, you are likely to think more about the benefits of migration than the possible costs.
"But people want to be assured that newcomers will accept the responsibilities as well as the rights that come with living here - obeying the law, speaking English, and making a contribution. "But people want to be assured that newcomers will accept the responsibilities as well as the rights that come with living here - obeying the law, speaking English, and making a contribution."
"People worry about whether immigration will undermine their wages and the job prospects of their children. They worry about whether their grown-up children will be able to get housing anywhere near them." Mr Brown said the UK was a "something-for-something, nothing-for-nothing" society and urged immigrants to live up to their responsibilities.
The prime minister will say more needs to be done to ensure that people already living in the UK with low skills and poor job prospects are helped into work. He advocated a "tough but fair approach" to immigration, maintaining the "flexibility" needed by employers.
More needed to be done to ensure that people already living in the UK with low skills and poor job prospects were helped into work.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Mr Brown said he did not believe Britain's population would reach 70 million, as some projections suggest.In an interview with the Daily Mail, Mr Brown said he did not believe Britain's population would reach 70 million, as some projections suggest.
For the Conservatives, shadow immigration minister Damian Green told GMTV the government's plans to reduce the number of professions allowed to recruit from beyond the EU would make "very, very little difference in terms of numbers or in terms of the practical ability of British workers to get jobs".For the Conservatives, shadow immigration minister Damian Green told GMTV the government's plans to reduce the number of professions allowed to recruit from beyond the EU would make "very, very little difference in terms of numbers or in terms of the practical ability of British workers to get jobs".
He said: "What the government is doing is toughening up its rhetoric, but it's not actually changing the policy very much."He said: "What the government is doing is toughening up its rhetoric, but it's not actually changing the policy very much."