Drew Hendry (pictured) calls on Home Secretary to end attack on immigration.
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey Member of Parliament, Drew Hendry, has written to the Home Secretary asking her to act as local tourism businesses face post-Brexit staffing crisis.
In a letter to the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, Mr Hendry says that despite only re-opening several businesses are struggling to keep their doors open due to staffing shortages.
He writes that while the pandemic meant some workers returned home, the current crisis is due to the ongoing hostile approach taken by the UK Government in migration and immigration policy.
In his letter, Mr Hendry invited the Home Secretary to visit businesses in Aviemore with him, to hear first-hand about the ‘hostile environment’s negative impacts’.
Commenting Mr Hendry said:
“Hospitality and tourism businesses across my constituency are feeling the full impact of a post-Brexit UK.
“Having just come out of a pandemic, they are now dealing with a staffing crisis, leaving many of them struggling to keep their doors open.
“While the pandemic has exasperated the staffing challenges, Brexit and hostile tory rhetoric created this crisis, and the situation is only getting worse.
“Instead of promoting the UK to people looking to work and settle somewhere new, the Home Secretary seems intent on doing everything she can to make the UK as unattractive as possible for migration.
“Both in the rhetoric and actions of the UK Government, all EU citizens hear is that they are not welcome or needed in the UK.
“Here in the Highlands, that could not be further from the truth.
“Not only do EU citizens make a significant economic contribution as part of our workforce, but they are also valued members of our communities.
“Like those across Scotland, our local tourism businesses need a migration policy that meets our regions’ distinct needs to staff their operations.
“Throughout the Brexit fiasco, my SNP colleagues and I repeatedly told the Tory Government that securing the right of EU citizens to work freely in Scotland had to be a priority to protect our economy.
“They ignored us then, and they are ignoring this crisis now.
“It is yet another example of Westminster policies inflicting damage on our communities.
“Holyrood must have the full powers of independence to build a migration system that works for our region and Scotland.”
