Tory manifesto 2017 to include pledge to cut net migration... again

The Conservatives have pledged to slash net migration to tens of thousands
PA
Robin de Peyer8 May 2017
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The Conservative manifesto will contain a pledge to cut net migration to “tens of thousands” for the third General Election in a row.

The commitment appeared in the Tories’ manifestos for both the 2010 and 2015 elections, but has never been met. Recent figures put migration at 273,000.

Last month Prime Minister Theresa May - who failed to hit the target as Home Secretary - restated her hope to cut annual net migration to a "sustainable" level in the tens of thousands.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said on Sunday she wanted to "continue to bring immigration down" but stopped short of guaranteeing that David Cameron's controversial target would be repeated.

She told the BBC: “That's why we're having a new manifesto. It's not going to be identical to the last one.

“We're setting it out for hopefully for a five-year term. We've got a lot to think through to work out what's the best way to deliver on our priorities."

She added: “My personal view is we need to continue to bring immigration down.

"I want to make sure that we do it in a way that supports businesses - you know we're ending freedom of movement when we leaving the European Union.

"So the situation from that time the [2015] manifesto... has changed because we're leaving the European Union, so it's right that we look at it again."

Meanwhile, Ukip leader Paul Nuttall will be setting out his immigration policy on Monday, expected to include a "one in, one out" pledge to cut net migration to zero.

Labour has acknowledged that free movement of people will have to end after Britain leaves the EU.

But Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer said new immigration controls should not be an “overarching priority” in the process of withdrawing from the EU.

Net migration refers to the difference between people arriving in the UK and those leaving.

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