We Asked Prisoners If They Would Be Happy to Fill a Post-Brexit Labour Shortage

In May, Secretary of State for Justice David Gauke said he believes serving prisoners could help to fill the potential workforce gap in post-Brexit Britain. Placing a focus on sectors most likely to be affected by the UK leaving the European Union, the Conservative minister said that prisoners could work in catering, construction and agriculture.

Speaking at HMP Isis in south-east London, he highlighted how he felt migrant workers had previously been relied upon to fill jobs in these industries. Gauke said the British public would actually prefer to see "as many UK citizens employed as possible" and saw this move as "an opportunity for both prisoners and employers".

I teach at a prison, so thought I would ask some of my students what they made of the idea of working while serving time.

Afal, 30, has been sent back from a category D open prison for breaking a variety of rules, including returning to the prison over two hours after his daily curfew. He’ll spend the remaining ten months of his sentence for selling coke to students behind bars.

I ask Afal how he rates the chances of Gauke’s initiative proving a success.

"Thing is, yeah, I was in D cat for a week, and it's like the second you get out there you can’t take it serious? It's where they send all the screws who can’t hack it in proper jail. Telling me I’ve got a curfew… like, if I’m on lockdown it’s because I physically can’t leave a cell. No man is asking me to stick to no curfew and expecting me to arrive back at half six when I’ve got moves to make."

But what about the prisoners who would relish the chance to serve their time in less oppressive environments?

"Yeah, that’s fine for them. But so many man go to open prison, go on the run and the police are after them for bare time. Now, if they’re planning on letting man from cat C prison out for the day, well bye, bye, nice knowing ya, catch me if you can. Every hundred they let out… ten will come back."

Michael, 22, is an ex-soldier serving six months for assaulting a stranger on a night out. Having struggled to gain employment post service, and now arguably facing an even tougher task on release, I'm interested whether he thinks there is merit in Gaude’s idea.

"Dunno. All of these are jobs I could get anyway, even with a record, if I was willing to do them. I’ve handled million pound equipment defending this country, and this prick’s expecting me to work picking strawberries? Fuck off. And it’s not even like they’ll be paying proper wages, is it? It’ll be prisoner wages, couple of quid a day. Let the foreigners stay and do it."

I ask Michael to continue. I've previously challenged him on some pretty dubious comments regarding immigrants, so I’m interested to see if he picks up on his own hypocrisy.

"No, you don’t get it, mate. Now we’re not even having a proper Brexit like the people voted for, all the Poles and Africans will still be here. Let them do these shit jobs and let proper hard working Brits have a chance at some of the better jobs they stole off us in the first place. Britain’s not even Britain anymore."

Much to the amusement of the group, I decide to leave it there with Michael.

Ed, 26, is serving 16 weeks for breaking the terms of his license, and may face further time inside if he is found guilty of a further assault. Outside of prison he is a qualified electrician with his own business, and tells me that he has worked six days a week for the last decade, has a mortgage and regularly employs two of his friends on larger contract jobs.

I ask Ed whether he would take on day release prisoners to work with him.

"A lot of the lads I work with have done a bit of time here or there, it’s not a big deal. But the big difference is we all know each other – there’s trust. A lot of the Poles stick together, but if you get them involved they're a laugh and work proper hard. I’d rather them than some Spice-head from A-wing turn up on site. Way I see it, Brexit is going to see us kicking out the good workers and leaving us with a load a wasters who won’t want the jobs anyway."

Ed describes how a lot of his early work was as a result of working abroad with large, mixed crews of all nationalities. I ask whether he agrees with Gauke's assertion that British people want to see jobs filled by British workers.

"Yeah, until they do a shitty job and nick the biscuit tin money while they’re at it. All people want is honest, quality work – nationality doesn’t come into it!"

Steve, 37, is pleading not guilty to assaulting his neighbour. If convicted, he is looking at somewhere between six to 12 months. Having never served time before, I ask him whether he would rather spend it working on the outside during the day.

"Yeah. Fuck, yeah. This place is a disaster – every day, something happens where you think, 'What the hell am I doing here?' If worst comes to worst and I'm doing a year, if I can do half of that just stopping here for the nights, I'll take that. But, as much as I’m saying that, let’s get it right. They ain’t doing this for our benefit – none of this reform and educate rubbish. It’s cheap labour, probably a load of tax breaks for the companies who employ cons, and a nice little spin on the Brexit fuckeries."

Steve tells me that he voted for Brexit, but regrets it now. Evidently a pragmatist, he also tells me he’s been thinking of changing his plea to guilty so he can aim for somewhere in the region of four months, probably serving half of that inside.

"Yeah, I’m no mug. I'd do the work at the restaurant or farm or whatever, cut grass all day long and smile. But I'm under no illusions that they give a shit about me either. Top to bottom, it is what it is, everyone out for themselves."