Immigration and the labour market

Two pieces of information became available yesterday.

The ONS, the official statistics agency, in publishing unemployment statistics, revealed the following:

In 2008 employment of British-born workers fell by 278,000.
In 2008 employment of foreign-born workers rose by 214,000.

Lest we think that last rise in foreign-born workers is another example of EU nationals coming here with full rights, there is a further statistic.

On his website this morning Douglas Carswell announces that "A record 150,000 work permits were handed out to non-EU nationals to settle in Britain last year. It's the highest ever."

The picture is clear, with unemployment rising, we are still admitting non-EU workers in great numbers to jobs here. The immigration policy comes seriously into question, and makes the claim of "British jobs for British workers" sound even more hollow.

There could be skills shortages here, of course, which have to be filled from abroad, perhaps to replace the many native born who have emigrated. This after nearly 13 years of masterly management of the economy, surely not?

We don't know the pattern during 2008. If the new admissions took place before the government was aware of coming recession/depression, after all they had abolished bust, perhaps it has curtailed now. If not the recent strikes in the refinery construction could promote many more.

The response of the government has been interesting. When the ONS figures were released, Downing Street complained at the timing of the release, as embarrassing G. Brown. Keith Vaz, one of his ministers complained at releasing only a summary and not the full details, - as if the government even published full or accurate statistics until the recent re-birth of the ONS.

No, let us have more data which shows what a two-faced and incompetent administration we have in London! Let us have real data, not spun data!