A big factor in the Brexit debate was the perceived need to exercise control over immigration from other EU countries. Since Brexit, the loss of access to EU workers has caused disruption in healthcare, social care, agriculture and construction, and the needs of such sectors have caused immigration from non-EU countries to surge. There has also been no progress in dealing with the immigration backlog and the level of illegal immigration via small boat crossings. The high cost solution of sending some asylum seekers to Rwanda has so far not deterred asylum seekers or reduced the backlog. Stephen Kinnock MP, Shadow Minister for Immigration will lead a roundtable on ‘Tackling our immigration issues.’

It is now over six months since the government’s surprise, and to many unwelcome, decision to scrap the planned HS2 extensions north and east of Birmingham. At the time, it was unclear whether the collection of replacement schemes announced would address the gaps left and form part of a coherent rail strategy. Also uncertain were the implications for UK rail equipment manufacturing, and the goal of economic levelling up for some northern regions of the UK. To address such questions, Sir John Armitt, Chair, National Infrastructure Commission, will lead an Industry Forum roundtable discussion on the ‘Fallout from the HS2 cancellations.’