QUOTE OF THE MONTH

‘In general, the language of an absolute “shortage” of workers, of a “need” for immigrants to fill gaps in the labour market, plays little useful role in the immigration debate and in most cases is simply economically illiterate. If we had fewer immigrants, the average wage rate of an office cleaner might be a bit higher, and businesses would either pay the extra charge, clean the office less frequently or use more efficient vacuum cleaners.

But we would not have some offices cleaned precisely as now and others not cleaned at all …

The idea that we “need” higher fertility or immigration to cope with the burden of a rising dependency ratio is therefore simply wrong, a polemic argument rather than a reasoned and fact based contribution to the debate.

We do not “need” more babies or immigrants to support an ageing population. It is wrong to say we need more immigrants and it is clearly wrong to say that everyone gains from immigration.

The simple answer to the question, “Do we need more immigrants and babies?”, is therefore, “No”.’

Lord Turner, speaking recently.