This issue of Futures of Work could scarcely be better timed. Migration is about as high on the UK’s political agenda as an issue can be, in part because of the recently released figures showing new peaks in migration but also because of its status as one of the key sources of tension between different factions of the Conservative party.
This ferment has bubbled over in recent months into open rows, ministers’ resignations and a high-profile Supreme Court judgement on the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, a plan which the current Home Secretary has refused to deny calling ‘batshit’.
There has also been controversy in recent weeks over new proposals to raise the earnings threshold that allows someone to sponsor a spouse/partner visa, leading to a partial U-turn from the government with a new lower figure being quickly announced.
These struggles over migration are a manifestation of the tension between politics and the economy. On the one hand there are political pressures surrounding migration figures, and on the other an economic reality. Certain politicians may wish to reduce the number of those migrating to the UK, but they also know these workers are crucial for many sectors, from seasonal fruit- and vegetable-pickers to roles in care and/or the NHS.
We are facing a year of debate about migration. The issue will doubtless be high on the agenda of a general election. Both the Conservatives and Labour are seemingly aligned on the point that migrant numbers are too high; what remains unresolved are only the methods by which these figures will be reduced.
The five articles within this issue provide a sober alternative to the type of rhetoric we are likely to see in electoral campaigning; perhaps they can be thought of as some much-needed counterprogramming. They come from both academics and practitioners working in the field, both within and outside the UK.
The first article, by Fuad Mahamed and David Jepson of Ashley Community Housing (ACH), a Bristol based social enterprise working on the integration of refugee and migrant communities, considers how these communities access work. But as with migrant workers more generally, a key aspect of this concern is whether they can access decent work, rather than just any work.
The second, by Clare Hatton, highlights how the West Midland Combined Authority supports migrants into work and the challenges they face in continuing to do so under difficult circumstances.
Heather Rolfe argues in her article that data on public attitudes towards migration reveals that the party forming the next government does not have to fear being pro-migration.
Next, Laila Kasem argues for the importance of contextualising the recent migration figures to demystify why they have peaked recently and how important many of these migrants are for business and essential services in the UK.
Finally, Hulya Kaya argues that where refugees’ entrepreneurial abilities are hampered, it is bad for both individuals and the economy.
Taken together, these articles show that if those with migrant backgrounds can be supported into decent work, it is not only they who will benefit but also the economy and the country as a whole. Additionally, this support needn’t be thought of as politically toxic, but rather as something that would be viewed positively by large swathes of the public.
Finally, we would like to extend a special thank you to David Jepson of ACH for his editorial contribution, without which this issue would not have been possible.
Image credit Simon Watkinson via Unsplash