I read “Keep on keeping on” by Colin Thomson, (Letters, 29 May) with interest. Thomson suggests retaining mature staff and attracting others from retirement as a better way of the UK solving skills shortages than recruiting immigrants.

I understood the writer’s suggestion of making the UK self-reliant in terms of manpower. However, this also gives the impression that the UK is a potential labour market for immigrants to target. Limiting immigrants’ share of the UK labour market is not the solution, as they may turn to crime to make ends meet.