Wes Streeting plans to increase high-skilled immigration if he becomes PM

Leadership hopeful to also say tax revenues from new North Sea oil and gasfields should be used to cut energy bills

Wes Streeting’s pitch to be the next Labour leader will include a plan to increase high-skilled immigration to the UK, arguing that Donald Trump is telling scientists and AI experts they are not welcome in the US.

In a speech this coming week, the former health secretary will also say that tax revenues from new North Sea oil and gasfields should be used to cut energy bills.

Streeting is preparing to challenge Andy Burnham and others in a leadership race to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister.

Streeting will announce a plan to loosen immigration restrictions in order to “attract the best and the brightest minds from around the world” to Britain.

His aides said as leader he would introduce a global talent programme with a target of recruiting 20,000 world-leading scientists, AI experts and engineers over the next three years. The programme would be housed in No 10 and have a budget of £250m.

Streeting said the Trump administration was hostile towards global science and Britain should take advantage.

“We should open our door to the best and the brightest,” he said. “Trump is saying to world-leading scientists, engineers, AI experts – you’re not welcome here. I would tell them: we’ll welcome you with open arms.