Ban on care workers bringing family to Britain WILL stay under Labour, Streeting says

LABOUR has vowed to keep the Tories’ ban on care workers bringing family to Britain in a drive to cut our “risky over-reliance” on migrants.

Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting said more “homegrown” NHS staff were needed, adding: “We’ve got to bring down net migration”.

He also suggested an all-out ban on recruiting from the poorest countries gripped by medical emergencies. 

Earlier this year, the Government stopped overseas care workers from bringing dependents with them as part of a package to slash net migration by around 300,000. 

Last year net migration stood at a monster 685,000 - more than the population of a city the size of Sheffield. 

Pressed if he would keep the ban, Mr Streeting told reporters: “I'm not aware of any plans by [shadow home secretary] Yvette Cooper to change those rules. 

“Obviously, we're working really closely together and I want to make sure that by developing our homegrown talent, I help Yvette to reduce net migration.”

He added the NHS needed to wean itself off foreign students and staff and promised to train up more Brits for medic jobs.

At a campaign event in Worcester, Mr Streeting said: “This is a real challenge. We've got to bring down net migration. And I think if I'm the health and social care secretary, I'll be able to help Yvette Cooper to do that, because I'm proud of the fact the NHS is an international workforce… 

“But I think under the Conservatives, we've had an over-reliance on international students and workers from overseas in our health and care system.

“And that's risky because we've got a global shortage.”

Mr Streeting added that there should be a flat-out block on people from “red list” countries with depleted medical resources from coming.

Every weekday Sun Political Editor Harry Cole brings you the latest news and analysis from the election campaign trail.