Sell UK visas to the richest, claim Conservative MPs

The Free Enterprise Group of MPs says the UK immigration system should encourage business start ups to move to the UK in order to better benefit the economy.

"Britain should be the friendliest nation for start-ups in the world. Instead of fearing competition, we should encourage it," said the group in a report published this week.

The group, which is mainly comprised of backbench Conservative MPs, says the Government should be doing more to encourage competition between utility companies as well as banks and transport operators, both in the private and public sectors.

The group says this could be done by offering tax incentives for emerging companies in order for them to compete with established firms while selling visas to companies and/or individuals would be 'less bureaucratic than today’s system, allow the Government to control the flow through price changes and ensure that workers only entered the country if they added significant value to the economy.'

The report's author, Norfolk MP George Freeman, said the UK needed to adopt a more supportive attitude towards enterprise in order to succeed in the 21st century.

"We need to do more to unleash an entrepreneurial ethos both in the public and private sector," said Mr Freeman.

"This requires bold new thinking like a pro-enterprise immigration policy and a new deal for business.

"This is how we build a global vision for developing a competitive economy and succeeding in the global race."