Jeremy Corbyn signals sky-high immigration would continue under a Labour government as he refuses to ‘get into numbers’
The Labour leader could only say that net migration will “probably” fall
SKY-HIGH immigration would continue for years under Jeremy Corbyn – the Labour leader signalled today.
He could only say that net migration will “probably” fall from its current levels of 273,000 a year under a Labour government.
And while the Labour leader said EU free movement would “obviously end” after Brexit he refused to “get into numbers”.
He told Sky News: “I want us to have a society that works and a balance that works and I cannot get into numbers because I don’t think it works.
“It will probably be lower but I don’t want to start making predictions on that because the issue has to be the needs of our economy.”
Labour didn’t set a target in their manifesto and only added a reference to the end of free movement in a party meeting days before it was published.
Today Tory candidate for Wycombe, Steve Baker, said: "Jeremy Corbyn’s position on immigration is so shambolic he can’t even tell us if it would go up or down under his leadership.
"With just over two weeks to go before the election Jeremy Corbyn still can’t tell us his policy, it is clear he has no plan to get a good Brexit deal and no plan to control immigration."
MOST READ IN POLITICS
Jeremy Corbyn in January said he would not rule out free movement continuing – with the row dominating a supposed relaunch of the leader as a Trump-style ‘populist’.
Asked at the time whether he thought a reduction in migration was desirable he reiterated his support for immigration and said Britain needed a “younger workforce”.
Last week he refused again to say how high immigration would be - saying it would be "unwise" to slap a figure on it.
And just weeks ago the under-fire leader sparked fresh muddle over his views on Brexit when he refused seven times to confirm that Labour would definitely take Britain out of the EU.
Asked whether would be definitely be leaving the Union, “come hell or high water”, Mr Corbyn merely said: “There was a clear vote a year ago,” and stressed his wish to get a “good deal with Europe”.
Your election station - Julia Hartley-Brewer from 10am
Listen on DAB, via the talkRADIO app or online at
The BBC’s political editor repeatedly pressed him on the issue, but he dodged the question again and again.
“People know there was a referendum a year ago,” the 67-year-old added.
But this weekend Labour have had a slight boost in the polls as the Tories saw a dip - thought to be in response to policies in the Conservative manifesto on social care.