Make Britain more welcoming

Labour would remove international students from any cap on immigration, writes Liam Byrne.

Universities are the jewel in the nation’s crown. They have educated people for centuries, produced great thinkers, great leaders and the great ideas that have helped to shape the country. They allow people to achieve their dreams and aspirations, to become well-rounded citizens and to contribute to society. With higher education being the UK’s seventh largest export, the importance of universities to our economy must not be underestimated.

That is why I was shocked by how easily the government allowed universities to become ensnared in their political football match around immigration. The inclusion of legitimate students in the net migration target, the vans driven around communities emblazoned with the words ‘Go Home’; they have become well known amongst the burgeoning middle class in these great growth markets of the future. I have heard it first hand on a recent trip to India and it is backed up by research by the National Union of Students which suggests that 51 per cent of non-EU students believe the UK government is either “not welcoming” or “not at all welcoming” towards international students. The effects of this have started to show: for the first time in 29 years, the number of foreign students enrolling in England’s universities decreased. People have legitimate concerns about the impact of low-skilled immigration and Labour is clear that we need a system that works for all by tackling exploitation to stop people being undercut. But the government’s stance on legitimate overseas students—who contribute to our economy—is doing real damage.