The Conservative MP is calling for increased investment in technology to reduce reliance on low-paid migrant workers, highlighting automation as a way to improve efficiency and reduce net migration.
Businesses should use more automation technology instead of hiring low-wage migrant workers, according to Conservative MP Chris Philp. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Philp stressed the need to increase the use of robots and automation in industries to reduce the UK’s net migration figures.
“Some countries are using more automation to do jobs like picking fruit and vegetables, rather than just importing a lot of low-wage workers from other countries,” said Philp. He cited examples such as Australia and New Zealand, where machines are used to harvest fruits and vegetables. He also noted that South Korea uses nine times the number of robots in manufacturing processes compared to the UK.
“In America, they use a lot of modular construction, which is very fast and very efficient,” he added. “There’s a lot British industry can do to grow without needing to import more low-wage immigrants.”
At a recent press conference, senior Conservative figures acknowledged past failings on immigration policy. Kemi Badenoch, a prominent Conservative MP, promised a review of “every policy, treaty and part of our legal framework,” including the role of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Human Rights Act.
While Badenoch committed to “finalizing the numbers” on migration and said the Conservatives would “explain how you get to those numbers,” he did not commit to reinstating the previously scrapped Rwanda program. Philp, however, called for the show to be reinstated, saying it was “cancelled before it started.”
When asked about reports that ministers had considered using a giant navigation device to stop crossing stations, Philp replied: “I don’t remember ever looking at that idea. I don’t remember if anyone ever did that.”
Philp declined to specify the number of the proposed migration rate but suggested that the total migration figure of 350,000 would be “very high.” He emphasized the importance of determining “how many high-skilled, high-wage people we need,” and addressing concerns about graduate courses being used as “a kind of uniform immigration system.”
He added that the Conservative Party would review migrants’ eligibility for benefits among other measures to reduce overall migration.
