UK shadow minister: Robots could replace low-wage migrant workers
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — The Conservative Party is advocating for a shift in the United Kingdom’s approach to labor shortages, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp promoting increased automation as an alternative to relying on migrant workers.
Technology vs immigration
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Philp highlighted how other nations are successfully implementing automation solutions.
He pointed to Australia and New Zealand’s adoption of robotic fruit-picking systems and South Korea’s extensive use of manufacturing robots – noting that South Korea employs nine times more robots than the UK.
“In America they use a lot more modular construction which is much faster and much more efficient,” he added.
In fact, Figure’s AI-powered humanoid robot has begun its training at BMW’s manufacturing facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The 5-foot-6-inch, 132-pound machine demonstrates improved skills in grasping complex shapes, navigating obstacles, and precisely placing parts. One notable feature is its ability to self-correct errors, such as tapping misaligned parts into place with the back of its hand.
Meanwhile, in Japan, West Japan Railway (JR West) has introduced a new humanoid robot for railway maintenance to tackle labor shortages and improve safety among Japan’s aging workforce. Standing at 12 meters tall, the robot bears a striking resemblance to characters from 1980s science fiction. Its distinctive features include enormous arms that can be equipped with different attachments, allowing it to wield paintbrushes, chainsaws, or other tools as needed.
“There’s a lot of things British industry can do to grow without needing to import large numbers of low-wage migrants,” Philp emphasized.
UK immigration policy overhaul
The push for automation comes amid broader Conservative efforts to reshape immigration policy. Party leader Kemi Badenoch recently acknowledged past mistakes in immigration handling and announced a comprehensive review of existing frameworks, including the European Convention on Human Rights.
While advocating for a “strict numerical cap” on migration, Philp declined to specify exact figures, though he indicated that net migration of 350,000 would be “much too high”.
'What would the cap be?'
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp was questioned on #BBCBreakfast after the Conservatives re-committed to a "strict numerical cap" on migration https://t.co/F0f0R4nVPJ pic.twitter.com/TptFhm33ik
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) November 28, 2024
Philp, however, criticized Labour for scrapping the controversial Rwanda deportation scheme, calling for its reinstatement. He also dismissed reports that the Conservatives had seriously considered using wave machines to deter Channel crossings, calling such claims implausible.
On long-term migration solutions, Philp emphasized balancing the UK’s economic needs with stricter controls. “We need to do the work properly to understand exactly how many high-skilled, high-wage people we need,” he said, cautioning against degree courses being used as a loophole for migration.
Workplace impact concerns
A new study from the Institute for the Future of Work has found that exposure to artificial intelligence (AI), robots, and tracking devices in the workplace negatively impacts employees’ quality of life.
The authors suggested that “such technologies may exacerbate job insecurity, workload intensification, [routinization] and loss of work meaningfulness, as well as disempowerment and loss of autonomy, all of which detract from overall employee wellbeing.”
