'Jobs for every Briton,' says Brown in crackdown on migrant workers

Gordon Brown pledged to find "British jobs for every British worker" as the Government announced a crackdown on migrant workers and measures to help find work for thousands of jobless Britons.

The Government announced a toughening of the points system of skilled workers seeking to settle in Britain from outside the European Union who will have to demonstrate that they can speak, read and write English to the standard of a C-grade GCSE.

Ministers are also considering a package of measures to give British workers a "fast track" to jobs. Speaking in the approach to Mr Brown's first speech to the TUC as Prime Minister this morning, a Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister believes that with jobs today available to more than 30 million people in the country, we can, if we make the right decisions, advance closer to full employment than ever before in our country's history so that there is a British job for every British worker."

Some 250,000 people who are economically inactive or unemployed will be offered jobs under local employment partnerships between JobCentres and 64 major employers, including Sainsbury's, Primark and Travelodge.

Out-of-work lone parents will be targeted with a guarantee of an interview for available jobs. Ministers are also examining increased incentives for people to take up work, including a £400 training allowance for new staff. A pilot scheme offering people a £40-a-week (£60 in London) starting work credit is also expected to be extended across the country.

Plans include contacting every school leaver this summer with a guaranteed pre-apprenticeship course or college place to combat the number of young people not in education, training or work.