Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has criticised a speech by Home Secretary, Amber Rudd MP, for outlining new measures to further crack down on international students – despite the economic damage done by previous restrictions on student numbers.

gavin newlands

Ms Rudd pledged at Tory conference to consider “tougher rules” for “lower quality courses”, suggesting restrictions allowing only the highest-ranked universities to attract international talent.

A report released last month by the IPPR think tank argued that restrictions on international student numbers are harming the education sector and forcing well-integrated and highly-skilled migrants to leave the UK after their studies.

Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, said:

“This speech by the Home Secretary again shows that the Conservatives are continuing to follow the UKIP agenda on immigration, regardless of the damage that it does to our economy.

“We’ve already seen the damage that’s been caused to Scottish universities from the Tories scrapping the post-study work visa, despite international students making a significant financial contribution to our universities and economy.

“This announcement by the Home Secretary, which will allow her to decide what courses are considered ‘high quality’ and ‘low quality’, will do nothing to help out universities; instead it will only add to the challenges that they already face.”