IMMIGRATION is not only good, but essential for the UK economy and is a reason to vote to stay in the EU according to a former Home Secretary.
Alan Johnson, leading the Labour In campaign, was in Glasgow to convince people of the benefits of the European Union.
He said the Treasury was right to argue that pensions will be hit if Britain votes to leave and linked it to immigration.
Instead of being an argument against the EU Mr Johnson said net immigration as a reason to stay.
He said: “The Treasury is right to point out the effect of a damaged economy and one effect will be pensions.
“People who come here are younger and have put more in than they take out.
“There are four people working for every pensioner just now and by 2050 it’s expected to be just two. The taxes of people working pay for pensions.
“If you put a wall round this country, Donald Trump style, if we don’t allow people to come in we will have a big problem.”
He said it was not just the Remain side who could be accused of peddling negative arguments and said his opponents had no vision for leaving.
He added: “You get accused of project fear, then the other side say there will be 75 million Turks gathering at the border if we stay.
“The leave campaign don’t know what’s going to happen with the economy or with immigration.”
He said there was greater support for a vote to stay in Scotland than other parts of the UK but warned the overall vote will be close.
He said: “I’ve got the feeling in Scotland there’s more people for remain but that can’t be taken for granted. It is similar in London but this is going down to the wire. We want a substantial remain vote so we can put this to bed and get on with the things Labour wants to do. We don’t want to throw the benefits of the EU away.”
Mr Johnson was campaigning in Buchanan Street with Labour Scottish leader Kezia Dugdale.
Ms Dugdale said the key argument was employment rights.
She spoke with several people in the street asking why they should vote remain.
She said: “The first thing is workers’ rights. It’s good for jobs and the economy
“Workers’ rights, paid holidays maternity leave, a maximum number of hours at work are all benefits we get from being the EU.
“They are standardised and we can then start to drive up wages.”
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