EDINBURGH (Sputnik), Mark Hirst — According to Paterson, some EU countries, especially those in Eastern Europe, "are being denied the supply of very reliable labour" as these candidates choose to look for a job in the United Kingdom.
"Senior surgeons who I know are unable to recruit the better qualified candidates from California or India to posts in the UK because they are required to take people from the EU who are less qualified, less skilled and less safe," Paterson said.
UK citizens are set to vote on June 23 in a referendum on the country's EU membership. Supporters of the UK exit from the bloc argue that EU membership has eroded Britain’s independence to legislate, direct its economy and control its borders. Opponents warn that leaving the European Union could deeply harm the country’s economy.