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Immigration to not solve food, fuel crises, says UK PM Boris Johnson

WION Web Team
LondonUpdated: Oct 03, 2021, 08:36 PM IST
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(File photo) UK PM Boris Johnson Photograph:(AFP)

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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would not return to "uncontrolled immigration" to solve gas, fuel and Christmas food crises. The remark came at the beginning of Conservative Party's conference. The leader was forced to again defend his government. He suggested for the first time that the issues were related to Brexit

At the beginning of Conservative Party's conference, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday he would not return to "uncontrolled immigration" to solve gas, fuel and Christmas food crises.  

The leader, who was forced to again defend his government, suggested for the first time that the issues were related to Brexit.   

The Johnson government is facing numerous issues as people are unable to get petrol for vehicles, retailers are warning about shortages for Christmas and gas companies are struggling with a spike in wholesale prices.  

Although the British leader was looking to refocus on his 2019 election pledges to tackle regional inequality, crime and social care at the conference, he was forced to get on the backfoot.   

Johnson told BBC's Andrew Marr Show, "The way forward for our country is not to just pull the big lever marked uncontrolled immigration, and allow in huge numbers of people to do work ... So what I won't do is go back to the old failed model of low wages, low skills supported by uncontrolled immigration."   

"When people voted for change in 2016 and ... again in 2019 as they did, they voted for the end of a broken model of the UK economy that relied on low wages and low skill and chronic low productivity, and we are moving away from that," the PM added.  

(With inputs from agencies)