The Brexit migration debacle is like a slow-moving iceberg which has been on the horizon since 2016. To implement the will of the people after the Brexit vote, there need to be changes to immigration laws. However, how to do this without putting a spanner in the works of significant parts of the economy seems beyond the Government’s ability.

Cutting the number of people coming to pick our fruit from 2021 will do nothing for the low paid in economically challenged cities

I appreciate that the Government feels pressure to curb migrant workers, particularly those on low pay who are often blamed for pushing wages down.

However, much of this anger towards incomers is fuelled by poor life chances and stagnant economies in deprived areas. Cutting the number of people coming to pick our fruit from 2021 will do nothing for the low paid in economically challenged cities.

If we dramatically and quickly cut the numbers of people coming to the UK to work in our food and farming sectors, then we will simply speed the move to outsource the job of feeding the nation. Automation of the fresh fruit and veg sector is developing, but we can’t replace thousands of workers by the start of 2021.

Furthermore, no one in the world has been able to create a robot with the dexterity and skill of a butcher in an abattoir.

Spanish strawberries might not just be for Valentine’s but could be here all year round

Increasing wages to encourage local people to take the jobs will just drive food prices up and result in pushing domestic competition out the door.

Spanish strawberries might not just be for Valentine’s but could be here all year round. We didn’t leave the EU to crush parts of our food sector and increase food imports.