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Rishi Sunak has promised that legal immigration into the UK will be restricted if the Conservative Party wins the election.
The Prime Minister’s announcement was seen as a attempt to reverse Labour’s own pledge to cut legal immigration without setting targets or caps, and to counter Nigel Farage’s change of policy to stand for the Reform Party in the July 4 general election.
But Mr Sunak also refused to give figures on how much he wanted to reduce immigration, after net immigration to the UK was 685,000 last year and is set to reach a record 764,000 in 2022.
Instead, the Conservatives will ask the independent Immigration Advisory Committee (MAC) to make recommendations on the level of the annual cap.
The government will then consider the advice and put proposals before MPs for a vote.
MACs will be told that the aim of setting the figures is to bring migration down to sustainable levels, with migration levels falling every year for the next five years, and that both the costs and benefits of migration must be taken into account.
The announcement comes in response to Mr Farage’s shock decision to become leader of the Reform Party and stand in Clacton as he campaigns on immigration, after previously saying he would not seek an eighth bid for MP status.
Bloomberg too report Sunak’s team is looking to harden the Conservatives’ position with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which initially blocked deportation attempts as part of the beleaguered Rwandan refugee protection scheme, with the Reform Party taking a tougher stance on immigration.
Mr Sunak said: “We have taken bold steps to reduce the numbers of people coming into this country and our plans are working, but immigration levels are still too high and we will go further.”
“Labour’s immigration amnesty will make the UK a magnet for illegal immigrants from all over the world. Labour has no plan to reduce net immigration, whereas we have a clear plan to stop the boats and put a legal cap on numbers.”
“The Conservatives are the only party willing to take the bold action needed to reduce immigration.”
Labour’s shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said: “This is a nonsensical announcement from a Conservative government that promised to reduce immigration but has tripled net immigration since the last election.”
“All they’re doing now is rehashing the failed announcements of David Cameron and Theresa May, but doing nothing to tackle the skills shortage and the failings of our economic and immigration systems that have led to increased net migration. Why should anyone take seriously a promise the Conservatives have already broken so many times?”
“Labour’s plans to cut net immigration would link the immigration system with new compulsory training and workforce schemes for British workers, stopping unscrupulous employers from hiring from overseas.”