"Curbs on non-EU immigration will be a key priority for an incoming Labour government, Ed Miliband has told the BBC's Andrew Marr show. The Labour leader outlined plans to reduce the number of low-skilled migrants coming to Britain. Large firms would have to train local apprentices if they recruited workers from outside the EU. Mr Miliband also hit back at Conservative claims that the party's spending plans were unaffordable. The Conservatives also claim Mr Miliband's apprenticeship scheme would be against EU law, which prevents member countries giving preferential treatment to their own citizens in the jobs market. 'Crisis' Labour said there was nothing to stop young people from other EU countries taking advantage of the scheme but, in practice, that would be unlikely to happen. In other Labour conference developments: Shadow Education Secretary Stephen Twigg said Labour will overturn any decision to scrap AS levels Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Liam Byrne urged the government to sack Atos - the firm which carries out "fitness for work tests" on disabled people - over its "disgraceful" performance and failure to meet people's needs Shadow Environment Secretary Mary Creagh says Labour would require water companies to offer lower prices to poorer families. The details would be for the companies themselves to decide. Labour would also take action to prevent food being dumped in landfills, forcing local authorities and hospitals to recycle food waste Labour has already said it will extend childcare and axe controversial changes to housing benefit affecting social tenants in England, Scotland and Wales deemed to have spare bedrooms, as it begins to set out its stall for the 2015 general election. But Mr Miliband used the first day of the conference, in Brighton, to highlight action to tackle youth unemployment, enforce the minimum wage and curb "overall" migration, insisting that his apprenticeship scheme would help bring down low-skilled migration in the long term as the British workforce improved. He also confirmed the party would keep the coalition's cap on non-EU immigration, which aims to reduce the overall numbers coming into Britain." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24193771
Curious silence on family reunification. But if you mean what I think you mean, Ed, you won't be seeing my vote.
As I think I've said before, when Labour and Conservatives start singing from the same hymn sheet, watch out, because that is when they really get things wrong.
