Wes Streeting plans to boost high-skilled immigration as Labour leader

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Sarah Chen

World - 14 Jun 2026

⚡ Quick Summary

Wes Streeting, a candidate for Labour leader, proposes increasing high-skilled immigration to attract scientists and AI experts, citing Trump’s anti-immigration stance as an opportunity.
He also suggests using tax revenues from new North Sea oil and gas fields to fund energy efficiency measures and cut household bills.
The proposals aim to position the UK as a global talent hub while addressing energy costs, but face criticism over climate goals and migration levels.
Streeting’s plans are part of a leadership race to succeed Keir Starmer, with other contenders like Andy Burnham offering different focuses.

Wes Streeting will propose increasing high-skilled immigration to the UK as part of his pitch to become the next Labour leader, arguing that President Donald Trump is signaling to scientists and AI experts that they are unwelcome in the United States.

In a speech scheduled for this coming week, the former health secretary will also advocate using tax revenues from new North Sea oil and gas fields to reduce household energy bills.

Streeting said the Trump administration’s hostility toward global science presented an opportunity for Britain.

“We should open our door to the best and the brightest,” he said. “Trump is saying to world-leading scientists, engineers, AI experts – you’re not welcome here. I would tell them: we’ll welcome you with open arms.”

“Voters who want lower levels of migration aren’t opposed to inviting tomorrow’s Nobel prize winners to make their discoveries here in Britain,” he added.

Streeting’s second policy proposal centers on the controversial prospect of new North Sea oil and gas fields receiving government approval.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has faced significant pressure from the oil industry and opposition parties to allow production at the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields.

Streeting will argue that tax receipts from the two new fields should be hypothecated and used to fund initiatives that cut energy bills and emissions.

“Businesses and households are held back by high energy costs,” he said. “The tax receipts from new North Sea oil and gasfields should be funnelled into cheaper energy: insulation, heat pumps, and electrification to cut bills and emissions.”

“Opponents of the North Sea say it sets the wrong example to the world. But the worst example we can set is that net zero can only be delivered on the backs of the poor and working people’s jobs. This is the route to Nigel Farage walking into Downing Street and destroying our renewables industry,” Streeting said.

Those opposed to new oil and gas production argue it will jeopardize international emissions targets, undermine the UK’s climate leadership and encourage developing countries to exploit their own fossil fuel reserves.

On Thursday, Burnham will stand in the Makerfield by-election; bookmakers offer odds of 1/7 on him winning.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, The Guardian reported over the weekend, intends to place public control of water and energy at the center of his agenda should he become prime minister.

💡 Why This Matters

Streeting’s pitch highlights a strategic rift within Labour over how to balance economic competitiveness, climate commitments, and public sentiment on immigration. By explicitly linking high-skilled immigration to Trump’s policies, he frames the UK as a potential beneficiary of US brain drain, which could reshape global talent flows. The proposal to funnel North Sea oil taxes into green energy subsidies is a pragmatic but controversial attempt to reconcile fossil fuel extraction with net-zero goals, risking alienating both climate activists and those prioritizing lower energy costs. This debate will influence Labour’s broader identity—whether it positions itself as a party of pragmatic growth or strict environmental leadership—and could affect the UK’s post-Brexit economic trajectory.

🧭 Background

Labour is in a leadership contest to replace Keir Starmer, with candidates like Wes Streeting (former health secretary) and Andy Burnham (Mayor of Greater Manchester). The UK has seen net migration rise post-Brexit, sparking political tension. The North Sea oil fields Rosebank and Jackdaw are pending approval, with the government facing pressure to balance energy security, emissions targets, and household bills. Streeting is proposing a targeted immigration boost for high-skilled workers and using oil tax receipts to fund energy efficiency, a middle-ground that tries to address multiple issues.

🔭 What’s Next

Streeting’s speech next week will test internal Labour reactions and public support. The leadership race will intensify, with Burnham likely to counter with his own platform focused on public ownership. The debate on North Sea approvals and immigration policy will also play out, potentially influencing the government’s final decisions on Rosebank and Jackdaw. Meanwhile, Trump’s continued anti-immigrant rhetoric could make the UK’s openness a competitive advantage, but actual legislative changes would require winning the leadership and then a general election.

📝 This article was rewritten with AI assistance based on content from The Guardian.