End Brexit rows and use immigration to solve worker shortage, CBI chief to tell MPs

Brexit arguments must end and immigration should be used to solve worker shortages to boost growth, the CBI chief will tell politicians on Monday.

CBI’s director general Tony Danker is expected to praise some of the “incredibly welcome” announcements in last week’s autumn statement while also warning the UK must go further in order to solve years of stagnating growth, in his speech at the annual conference in Birmingham.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak will also attend the conference and deliver a keynote speech on innovation.

It comes just a few days after Jeremy Hunt’s autumn Budget, which saw the chancellor unveil £25 billion of tax rises in a bid to restore market confidence in the UK.

With the UK forecast to be already in recession, Mr Danker will tell the conference: “The painful reality about growth is that it can’t be stimulated overnight. That’s what the mini-Budget got wrong.”

Praising the chancellor for “staying the course” on projects designed to generate growth, such as HS2 rail and the new nuclear power plant at Sizewell C, the CBI boss will also offer the government various solutions to boost the flagging economy.

Pointing to ongoing “barriers” to growth, Mr Danker will call on politicians to be “practical” about immigration.

“Let’s have economic migration in areas where we aren’t going to get the people and skills at home any time soon. In return, let’s make those visas fixed term.”

He will also urge reform of regulations and red tape, telling the audience: “I know that some Conservative politicians today feel that this issue is the fault of Europe. But the biggest regulatory barriers facing businesses today are based on British laws, created by a British parliament, and administered by British regulators.”

Mr Danker is also expected to flag concerns over Brexit, namely the as-yet unresolved row with the EU about the Northern Ireland Protocol.

“Boris Johnson achieved a deal with the EU that allows us to continue to trade tariff and quota free with our biggest trading partner. There’s some good stuff in there. Currently locked up.

“But, still, we argue over the Northern Ireland Protocol. Still, we argue over sovereignty. Get round the table, do the deal, unlock the Trade and Co-operation Agreement. I say to Brexiteers, the best guarantor of Brexit is an economy that grows.

“Its biggest risk is one that doesn’t.

“Now I know that some of these things will not be popular with politicians. But while, I have no problem with Government taking tough choices to bring stability, I want them to also take tough choices for growth. “

Press Association contributed to this report.