General Election 2019: Priti Patel hammers Labour over immigration as party splits on free movement
Home secretary Priti Patel has said immigration would be cut “overall” under a Conservative government – and raised alarm bells over Labour’s shifting position on freedom of movement.
Patel said plans to bring in an Australian-style points based immigration system for EU and non-EU migrants would reduce the numbers coming to the UK.
The home secretary said: “We will reduce immigration overall while being more open and flexible to the highly skilled people we need, such as scientists and doctors.
“This can only happen if people vote for a Conservative majority government so we can leave the EU with a deal.”
This is the first time a minister has promised to bring down immigration since the tens of thousands pledge was ditched. But the Conservatives claim that under Labour plans the net migration figure could climb to an average of 840,000 a year.
“Under Corbyn’s Labour, immigration would surge, and put huge strain on schools and our NHS,” she said in a letter to her counterpart Diane Abott.
“Our national security would be imperilled by an “unconditional” right to family reunion which would give those subject to deportation orders, and those who have been deprived of their British citizenship after joining terrorist groups overseas the legal right to settle in the UK.”
But the shadow home secretary branded the Tory claims “fake news”, and blasted the Tory record for “scapegoating migrants” or deporting Windrush citizens.
“Want to talk about immigration? Fine, let’s talk about how you wrongly deported British citizens. Let’s talk about how cruel and inefficient the Home Office continues to be. Let’s bring the debate back to real lived experiences,” she said.
The row comes after splits emerged over Labour’s conference policy on immigration ahead of a crucial meeting to decide its election manifesto.
Len McCluskey, the boss of the UK’s biggest union Unite and a key ally of Jeremy Corbyn, told The Guardian yesterday he would oppose any attempt to extend free movement in line with the conference pledge.
“We will have to see what’s in the manifesto, but I don’t think [what conference voted for] is a sensible approach and I will be expressing that view,” he said.
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