Labour accused of "window dressing" migrant crisis with new A-level English requirement

Shabana Mahmood has been accused of "window dressing" the migrant crisis after announcing that migrants need to speak and understand English to an A-level standard to work in Britain. On Tuesday, the Home Secretary said that Foreign nationals who want to move to the UK will have to pass a Home Office-accredited written and oral test to prove they can speak, listen, read and write to a higher level than before.

However, Carole Malone has fumed at the move, claiming "it is your job to learn our language" before coming to the country. The TV presenter believes that migrants wishing to move to the UK should learn English before arriving, rather than it being Britain's responsibility to teach them. She told the Daily Expresso podcast that the new rule, which takes effect from January, is just "window dressing".

"I think if you want to come to Britain and you want to live in our country, the very least you can do is learn the language of our country. I think it is your responsibility to learn the language; it's not our responsibility to pay for you to learn that language," Ms Malone said.

"And when they don't learn the language, what that says to me is that they don't really want to integrate."

Migrants previously were only required to hold conversations "regularly encountered in work, school or leisure" and deal with situations "likely to arise while travelling" and "produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest".

However, they will now have to speak "fluently and spontaneously" and "flexibly and effectively for social, academic, and professional purposes."

On the same day, a Sun investigation revealed a £260million contract to run removal centres at Gatwick Airport, which includes free English lessons, arts and crafts classes, and IT tutorials.

Ms Malone said: "Brits don't get those sorts of perks in their daily lives. They don't get given stuff for free in daily life, so why should someone who has come here illegally get this stuff?

"They're criminals for God's sake, and yet they're being treated like they're prized guests to this country. They're not".

The eight-year contract provided by Serco will offer IT and English classes by qualified instructors, also specifying that the ability to make a hot beverage must be available at all times.

A Serco spokesman said: "We provide options such as art classes and IT provision as stipulated in our contract with the Home Office."

The Home Office told The Sun: "This contract was procured and awarded under a previous government.

"We are reviewing contracts for the provision of resident activities in immigration removal centres to ensure they deliver value for taxpayers."