It's not just drivers
We have all become a bit obsessed about a shortage of HGV drivers, which means we could be missing the wider point. The number of foreigners working in the UK is huge, the government’s own guesstimates are properly way under the true figure. The fact is there are just not enough British workers to fill the gaps if a significant proportion go.
Also many of the jobs they do are not the kind that British people want, or in the places where the British unemployed live. Picking vegetables and fruit, cleaning offices, manning care homes for very little money, none of these are going to attract young British workers especially those with ambition and an education.
There are huge shortages in well paid and skilled jobs too. Construction and manufacturing spring to mind, where the pay is still not high enough to qualify for the government’s immigration scheme.
Raising wages across the board just means more money is chasing fewer people, it sounds great but putting up the price of everything for no improvement in productivity is economic illiteracy. Limiting immigration to “skilled” and higher paid jobs in an economy dependent for 40 years on low pay and low skills is not a great help to anyone.
When ideology clashes with economics everyone loses. This is a deliberate self damaging government policy.
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.