Big change in welfare urged

THE departing leader of one of the UK’s biggest business groups has urged the government to “radically change” the welfare system so that it never paid not to be in work.

David Frost, on his last day as director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said the adoption of migrant labour, especially from Eastern Europe, had been one of the most dramatic changes he had seen during his eight years in office.

“Overwhelmingly, business has adopted migrant workers for the simple reason that they are often better educated and have a stronger work ethic than local people. It is not about paying lower wages,” he said.