hello. welcome to the programme. we start this hour here in the uk with the general election campaign. labour says it s committed to reducing the number of people legally migrating to britain if it forms the next government. but speaking earlier, the shadow home secretary yvette cooper refused to set a target or any date by which a reduction would be achieved. net migration, the difference between the number of people arriving in the uk and leaving, stood at 685,000 last year. labour s plans include more apprenticeships in jobs that are currently reliant on a significant level of migrant workers. here s our political correspondent ione wells. immigration is a sticky issue in this election campaign, and both major parties say they want to control it. labour says it would train more uk
scotland s interest at heart. that is what the snp want voters to hear this afternoon. this afternoon. how worried at the snp about losing this afternoon. how worried at the snp about losing seats this afternoon. how worried at the snp about losing seats to - this afternoon. how worried at the snp about losing seats to labour. this afternoon. how worried at the l snp about losing seats to labour in scotland? . :, , ., ., , snp about losing seats to labour in scotland? . :, ., ., scotland? elections are always hard for the snp when scotland? elections are always hard for the snp when labour scotland? elections are always hard for the snp when labour are - scotland? elections are always hard for the snp when labour are on - scotland? elections are always hard for the snp when labour are on the | for the snp when labour are on the rise. last time labour looked like they could form a government and the snp only got six gps, so anything better than that is an improvement, it has be
as first minister, as snp leader. 0n the other hand, someone likejohn swinney will find that quite freeing. this is his chance to use the campaign to reintroduce himself to the people of scotland, to tell them who he is going to be as their first minister, and i think he will try and combine the campaigning for the westminster election with establishing himself as scotland s new first minister. but it also means that whatever the result, it is difficult to hold john swinney accountable for it, and he can then build from there to the 2026 elections in scotland. interesting oint as elections in scotland. interesting point as you elections in scotland. interesting point as you make. elections in scotland. interesting point as you make. if elections in scotland. interesting point as you make. if the - elections in scotland. interesting point as you make. if the blame l elections in scotland. interesting - point as you make. if the blame does fly around, it won t hit him if he is a rel
net migration is forecast to fall anyway in the next coming years what is critically important from the liberal democrats point of view is that we actually start to pay our care workers properly and that is why we are pledging to give them an increased minimum wage, £2 higher than the minimum wage for other sectors, and only by doing that, by investing in our care workers here in our domestic workforce, can we reduce the demand for foreign workers to come and fill those vacancies. the snp have accused labour and the conservatives of blaming migrants rather than the westminster government for the country s problems. and reform uk have proposed a tax on businesses employing overseas workers. labour intend this announcement to firmly park their tanks on the conservatives lawn. with legal migration numbers sky high, it is set to be a key issue in this campaign. ione wells, bbc news. the conservatives have said they want to build 100 new gp surgeries and 50 community diagnostic centres
party and he is not. one of the issues that the snp has to deal with them campaigners finding cut throat in the uk wide media so that they don t get drowned out by this idea that it can only be rishi sunak or keir starmer, that the snp has no influence. actually the snp wants voters to understand that they can have a lot of influence, and that they could hold westminster governments to account, and without them there, scotland s voice won t be heard, and that s what i m expected to hear from john swinney this afternoon. liz expected to hear from john swinney this afternoon. this afternoon. liz lloyd, former deu to this afternoon. liz lloyd, former deputy to nicola this afternoon. liz lloyd, former deputy to nicola sturgeon, - this afternoon. liz lloyd, former| deputy to nicola sturgeon, thank this afternoon. liz lloyd, former- deputy to nicola sturgeon, thank you very much indeed. we are expecting thatjohn swinney speech in the next hour or so. this is the scene live at that rally i