Slashing immigration must come before propping up ‘failing’ universities, Tories warn

SLASHING immigration must come before propping up “failing” universities, Tory MPs have warned.

The New Conservatives group of backbenchers wants to reduce the number of study visas by around 75,000 by excluding the worst universities from eligibility.

It is among 12 demands they are making to Rishi Sunak in a new report which they believe will reduce net migration by 400,000.

Asked about the hit to university coffers, author Tom Hunt MP said: “I don’t think we should be massively distorting our immigration policy to prop up the finances of many universities, many which have actually failed to provide the country with the skills it needs.”

He added that “too many people” have gone to university in recent years and there needs to be a shift to technical skills”.

The hardline Tories also want Suella Braverman to go further in clamping down on students’ families coming to Britain, extending the ban to masters’ students on one-year research courses.

And they say graduates should only be allowed to stay if they have a job offer.

They want to end the “addiction” to cheap foreign labour and get the 5million Brits on out of work benefits filling vacancies.

Mr Hunt, a former radish picker, said “no job should be beneath anyone”.

Yesterday the 25-strong New Conservatives insisted they were not “rebels” and fully supported the PM.

Tory Party deputy Lee Anderson fuelled speculation he had been reined in by No10 after pulling out of the event at the last minute - but later claimed to be sick.

But the caucus warned Mr Sunak would lose the next election if he “kicked the can” of immigration down the road.

Red Wall MP Miriam Cates said failing to keep numbers down “raises deep concerns about national and cultural security”.

She said: “Particularly in towns and cities, a huge volume of immigration over over the last 10 years particularly, those of course, change the culture in society very significantly.”

Hitting back at critics, Mr Hunt said it was “disparaging to label people xenophobes” for voicing fears about migration.

Bury MP James Daly said immigration is the biggest issue to his voters “by a million miles”.

And Danny Kruger said his cabal were rallying against the “establishment” on migration reforms.

The PM’s spokesman said: “We have to strike the right balance between tackling net migration and ensuring we have the right style to match the needs of the public.”