Starmer urged to let ‘wealthy Americans’ move to UK ahead of Trump presidency

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to grant visas to “wealthy, high-skilled Americans” who want to migrate to the UK “for fear of what President-elect Trump will do to their country”. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey pressed the Prime Minister not to exclude those who want “bring their money and their skills” to the UK in his efforts to “reduce immigration from the record highs of the Conservatives”. The Government has previously said that tackling skills shortages in the UK, reforming “our approach to the labour market” and “clamping down on employers who exploit the visa system” will help to reduce net migration. “Now, I know the Prime Minister is rightly seeking to reduce immigration from the record highs of the Conservatives, but does he agree, if people like this want to come to our country to bring their money and their skills so we can grow our economy and pay for our public services, they should be able to?” Sir Keir replied: “We welcome all investment into the United Kingdom, and I am very pleased to have record investment in the time that we have been in office.” He added: “The last Government lost control of immigration, as they lost control of health and the economy and the borders and everything else, and it was, of course, the Leader of the Opposition who was championing the driving up of the numbers.