Think tank reckons it's found Labour's silver bullet - here's why it won't stop Reform UK

Surely not. Surely Labour hasn't found a magic bullet to kill off Reform UK when it comes to the insurgent party's key policy of controlling immigration? According to a plan being discussed in government circles, skilled immigrants would be required to train or mentor British workers as part of a "work and teach" programme. This is part of a plan drawn up by the Good Growth Foundation think tank as part of the Take Back Control report.

Polling found the "work and teach" policy reduces the number of voters who are "very concerned" about immigration by 18 points. Who knows if such polling would come true if this policy went live or whether Praful Nargund, director of the Good Growth Foundation, is correct to say this "is as close to a silver bullet as it gets for this government".

What is fair to say is that immigration is about integration, not just economics. Japan and Korea don't close their doors to outsiders simply because of possible welfare bills or despite the fact more foreigners could boost their economies.

It has as much to do with a sense of the "us" or "we". Foreigners can join this group, but the numbers need controlling and time to bed in, unlike the unending deluge the UK and other Western nations have, with no end in sight and no time for integration to take place.

One key danger of mass immigration - as I saw growing up in Luton - is once an immigrant community grows large enough it can ghettoise.

Perhaps the latest scheme would encourage integration and indeed fill key gaps in say the NHS. But does it address the costs of more housing, hospitals and schools? Memo - migrants and minorities get sick too!

Then there is the issue of nationhood. Would migrants training locals really encourage folks to become one big happy family? Maybe. But I doubt it.

Contrary to the lies, worrying about immigration is not about hate. Is it hate when the Japanese want to stay Japanese, the Koreans want to stay Korean, or the Chinese want to stay Chinese?

Plus, Mr Nargund should note the fact his own demographic - British Indians - are seeing a jump in support for Reform, many having already made the jump years ago from Labour to the Conservatives.

Contrary to popular myth, not all non-white people in the UK are ardent Lefties. Many hold socially conservative views, and are just as concerned about immigration, crime and housing pressures as white voters.

Therefore, without wishing to piss on the Good Growth Foundation's parade, I very much doubt migrants training Brits would - in and of itself - magically kill off the Reform threat to Labour.

That would require Labour to bring legal and illegal numbers dramatically down, throw out illegal migrants en masse, and genuinely 'smash the gangs' and keep them 'smashed'.

Don't know about you but I'm not holding my breath!