Ed Miliband shouldn’t let unsupported myths about immigration cloud his thinking on the issue.
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Ed Miliband today revealed Labour’s immigration strategy, in a speech much of the media saw as an “apology” for the previous government’s immigration record.
The majority of what was said appears to have gone unchallenged, however, Miliband made one point about the impact of immigrants on wage levels that commentators have been quick to disprove.
He claimed:
“To have an effective immigration policy, we must also reform how our economy works so that it works for all working people in Britain, whoever they are and wherever they come from. That means tougher labour standards to do more to protect working people from their wages and conditions being undermined.
“And action to create a different kind of economy: one which offers working people rewarding and high-skill jobs. So what happened?
“First of all, as a result of immigration combined with weak labour standards in some sectors, there was a direct effect on wages, especially in lower skilled jobs.”
Jonathan Portes, writing for the Independent, referred to a number of sources that dispelled the overwrought myth of immigration affecting wage levels, as Chart 14 shows.
Chart 14:
A report (pdf) from IZA, the Institute for the Study of Labor, entitled “New Labour? The Impact of Migration from Central and Eastern European Countries on the UK Labour Market”, concluded:
Indeed, the impact of such a large and rapid migration shock on wages and unemployment is a crucial labour market issue. This is specially so given the heated public debate on migration – and in particular on migration from current and future accession countries.
Yet, there is currently very limited evidence on migration effects on the UK – and even less so on the effects of the recent EU enlargement.
While a report (pdf) from the Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM) states:
Despite negative media coverage, there is no evidence that this expansion led, on average, to a setback of wages of workers born in the UK.
• Time to talk about integration 6 Mar 2012
• Playing the blame game – it’s all the immigrants fault… 20 Jan 2012
• DWP evidence says migrants aren’t benefit cheats. DWP’s spin says… 20 Jan 2012
• Immigration policy should support UK economic growth, not undermine it 5 Dec 2011
• So is Britain really “full up”? 1 Nov 2011
Miliband shouldn’t let unsupported myths about immigration cloud his thinking on the issue.
48 Responses to “Miliband shouldn’t repeat the myth about immigrants’ impacts on wages”
Legal Aware
.@Ed_Miliband shouldn’t repeat the myth about immigrants’ impacts on wages, writes @LFFKatie: http://t.co/d4X5Olbh
Political Planet
Miliband shouldn’t repeat the myth about immigrants’ impacts on wages: Ed Miliband shouldn’t let unsupported myt… http://t.co/C8O7pD9Q
Selohesra
If there is a bandwagon he will jump on it – he just can’t help himself
Kevin
Wage bargaining in the building industry is done site to site and because its casualised piecework, highly cost sensitive. The influx of Eastern Europeans has had a dramatic effect on wages for British construction workers post-2004 EU accession of Poland.
The other obvious effect is that large construction companies get off scot-free for contributing towards apprenticeships and training.
Max Ryan
Yes but there has been direct evidence showing that migration has caused a suppression of wages and employment levels of UK born workers in low-paid and low-skilled jobs (the people who Labour should be protecting) and an increase in earnings of the higher-paid. Simply pointing out an average effect does not show this. http://www.migrationwatchuk.org/Briefingpaper/document/24