Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jonathan Reynolds Speaks to T&G on Drivers Shortage and More

Shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Reynolds has told Times Radio changes to immigration rules won't help ease the shortage of HGV drivers.

Speaking to Isabel Hardman and Tom Newton Dunn on T&G on Sunday, he was asked if tweaks to immigration is a solution, he said:

No, I don't think it is. I think that was a major factor in the conversations we had in the referendum. I think it was a major driver of the results of the referendum and I think because of the complacency of the government and an emergency situation that will need addressing for this winter. I mean, I've seen in the news this morning, one supermarket even using the R word rationing. This is an unprecedented situation. We know the longer term has to be proper investment in skills, in opportunities, in making sure these sectors are attractive to people because clearly that's a factor too. And only by addressing that, rather than simply presenting this as a question of higher or lower immigration from the rest of Europe will we find the results to that. So I think the money is there, it's just not being spent very well at the minute and the government better get focused on that.

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