Theresa May denies businesses revealing 'lists of foreign workers' was ever Government policy

'No naming and shaming, no published list of foreign workers, no published data'

Theresa May has denied “naming and shaming” businesses that employ the highest proportion of foreign workers was ever Government policy.

It comes after the Government appeared to U-turn on the controversial plans to force companies to draw up lists of their foreign-born employees – just a week after they were unveiled at the Conservative conference in Birmingham.

The policy, trailed after a speech by Home Secretary Amber Rudd in Birmingham, had originally mandated to “be clear about the proportion of their workforce which is international”, with suggestions that firms with the highest proportions could be shamed for not investing in the local workforce.

But responding to a question on the subject at Prime Minister’s Questions by Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, Ms May said: “Can I say to him that the policy that he has just described was never the policy that the Home Secretary announced – no naming and shaming, no published list of foreign workers, no published data.

“What we are going to consult on is whether we should bring ourselves in line with countries like the United States of America, which collect data in order to be able to ensure they are getting the right skills training for workers in their economy,” she added.

Mr Corbyn, responed: “She seems to be slightly unaware of what’s going on. First the Home Secretary briefed that companies would be named and shamed. The Education Secretary clarified that data would only be kept by government and yesterday Number 10 said it was for consultation and the Home Secretary clarified the whole matter by saying it’s one of the tools we’re going to use. This government has no answers Mr Speaker just gimmicks and scapegoats”

Shortly after her first address as Home Secretary at the Conservative conference Amber Rudd was forced to defend herself, saying “don’t call me racist”. Ms Rudd claimed she had been “very thoughtful” in wording the speech, in which she suggested foreigners were taking jobs British people could have – despite the UK currently having record levels of employment.

David Cameron’s former top aide Steve Hilton said at the weekend he believed the plan was worse than Donald Trump’s proposal to ban all Muslims from travelling to the United States. Writing in The Sunday Times he said the minister might as well have announced that “foreign workers will be tattooed with numbers on their forearms”.

The Prime Minister also used the session to congratulate Mr Corbyn on his recent leadership victory over his rival, Owen Smith – to a rapturous applause from her backbenchers. “Can I welcome him back to his place in this House, as him normal self,” she added. But the Labour leader quipped back: “I am most grateful to the over 300,000 people who voted for me to become leader of my party, which is rather more than voted for her to become leader of her party.”