Reeves appoints higher pay advocate to fight skills shortages as chief economic adviser

Labour market expert Prof Brian Bell has called for better pay and conditions in key sectors, particularly social care

Rachel Reeves has appointed a labour market expert who has repeatedly called for better pay and conditions in key sectors, such as social care, to reduce the UK's reliance on migrant workers as her new chief economic adviser.

Prof Brian Bell, who chairs the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which advises the government, has been announced as the new chief economic adviser in the Treasury - a senior civil service role.