It is a priority for the media and politicians, who both crave the spotlight, they raise the issue in ways that attract attention. Yes, they know it cannot be solved quickly, without proper due diligence and a comprehensive migrant policy to back it up and that takes time, so they 'suck it up' with the public, takes peoples minds of energy bills, etc.
Of course, remember Farage and his warning of millions of Romanians (under freedom of movement) turning up in the UK, its was this fear that the eastern EU countries will seek higher wages in the UK than they could get in their own country and in so doing affect wage rates in the UK. It was true in some cases but much over blown by Farage and his ilk! This kind of media coverage was the sort that remainers (in government) failed to address properly and it fueled some support for Brexit, especially with those living outside the main UK conurbations.
Paul you make regular comments here and elsewhere about how stupid its was to vote for Brexit, but you fail to also shed light on how weak and ineffective the Remainers were in countering such arguments... and the reason is because at the time, they couldn't. Like all successful lies, somewhere inside is elements of truth, Farage and co. were very successful in ensuring this essential ingredient in the issue of immigration.
It doesn't directly, companies in many parts of the UK economy have had to raise salaries in the traditional low paid jobs, especially after Covid and as you say after many people in the UK have been declaring themselves inactive in the labour market. Because of the low numbers available it became a 'rob Peter to pay Paul] (not you of course). EU workers as you rightly say are being paid better in their home countries and wont travel to the UK for work, so workers from the third world are sought. Trades Unions in the UK are at an all time low in their effectiveness, because when they get 'sandbagged' by employers they still tend reach for the 'strike' weapon, to solve all problems, not just pay rates. Consequently it will be up to Starmer to change this mentality, one way he might do it is to get something like the ITB's up and running again... but don't hold your breath!
Not at all, as I've said in other posts, it was my experience in the UK that the companies I met who spent more time, trouble and expense getting their recruitment, training and management development right, were inevitably foreign owned. This issue in the UK pre-dates the EEC, let alone the EU, joining the EEC in the 70's did nudge UK employers to up their game, but not as much as it was required. This is an urgent problem for Starmer when he takes power, but I have to admit I doubt if it will get the attention it needs, not in a first term anyway... but we live in hope.
