Restrictions on EU nationals coming to the UK to work in hospitality would be “absolutely devastating” to the country, British Hospitality Association (BHA) chief executive Ufi Ibrahim has told MCA.
Urging the government “not to push us off the cliff edge”, Ibrahim said the UK’s way of life was under threat by the prospect of access to unskilled labour being cut off, arguing there simply were not enough UK residents to staff the 4.5m sector.
The immigration status of EU nationals has been a source of huge uncertainty since the referendum result, with the international trade secretary Liam Fox saying the issue was “one of our main cards” in negotiations.
Ibrahim told MCA: “We’re calling on the government not to push us off the cliff edge. There’s a need for skilled and unskilled workers; not everyone can be a brain surgeon. If they cut it off it will be absolutely devastating to the UK.
“There’s definitely a lack of appreciation of our industry, not only of the economic impact, but also the importance to the social fabric of the way we live.
“The way we live is being jeopardised’ that’s what’s at threat.”
Ibrahim said there was anecdotal evidence of EU nationals fearing for their job security returning to their home countries.
She said with people spending more and more of their disposable income on leisure, dining and drinking, hospitality businesses were dependant on foreign workers, she said.
Crunching the numbers, the BHA chief said even by conservative estimates, there were not enough available workers to staff UK hospitality businesses – despite extensive work to attract UK school leavers into the industry.
She added: “The fact of the matter is, in a country with historically low unemployment, there simply aren’t enough people to fill those roles. It’s not humanly possible; they people don’t exist.
“This isn’t about prioritising EU national over British born workers. If you look at the numbers it just isn’t possible.”
