Tesco boss sparks outrage by demanding Britain keeps flow of cheap European labour despite Brexit vote
Supermarket chief John Allan fears planned immigration controls will create shortage of people willing to do 'ordinary important jobs'
TESCO’S fat cat boss has sparked uproar by demanding the government keeps cheap migrant labour from Europe flowing to his supermarkets after Brexit.
Revealing his “concern” over coming immigration controls promised by Theresa May, the superstore’s chairman John Allan said: “We don’t just need brain surgeons and architects”.
He added “We need many people who do much more ordinary, but nonetheless extremely important, jobs.
“Industries like the agricultural industry, picking and packing fruit and veg, and meat, are heavily dependent on migrant workers who are here 52 weeks a year.”
But the Home Office hit back saying: saying “We are clear that, as we conduct our negotiations to leave the EU, it must be a priority to regain more control of the numbers of people who come here from Europe.”
No10 echoed their sentiment saying: “The government’s approach is to bring immigration down to sustainable levels”.
Migration Watch blasted Tesco, saying: “Maybe they should be paying a little more to attract the local workforce.”
Alp Mehmet, the campaign group’s Vice-Chairman, added: “All those who are already here are not going to disappear overnight."
Labour MP John Mann added: “I have lots of constituents that who will do these jobs. Pay them fairly and give them a chance.”
“We are sick of wealthy employers denying us the jobs in order to squeeze a few pounds of profit. Buy British and employ British!”
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Brexit-backing former Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith declared the comments “unhelpful and somewhat ill informed”.
He added: “It makes you wonder if he really understands the industries he is buying from.”
The Tory MP argued a Work Permit scheme would make it force employers like Mr Allan to make sure “British workers get a first crack at these jobs”.
Mr Duncan Smith claimed government statistics show that showed almost 80 per cent of EU migration was low skilled.
And he claimed that many of the jobs Mr Allan mentioned are indeed “seasonal and not 52 week per year jobs.”
He added: “These short term jobs, most of these people come and go.”
Mr Allan also warned that prices will rise in his supermarkets due to economic uncertainty sparked by the EU referendum.
Asked by the BBC about whether Brexit would increase the price of food, Mr Allan said: “I think it’s probable, it obviously depends on currency, where the pound settles. If it stays where it is, it is likely.”
He added: “Everyone who wants to increase prices will get scrutiny. We are trying to defend our customers from unjustified price increases
“But, that it is likely there will be some price increases going forward - I think is very likely.”