Rishi Sunak accuses Keir Starmer of wanting HIGHER immigration

Rishi Sunak accuses Keir Starmer of wanting HIGHER immigration as Labour leader slams government’s ‘mess’ at bad-tempered PMQs ahead of figures feared to show 750,000 people came to Britain in the past year

Rishi Sunak accused Keir Starmer of wanting higher immigration today during bitter clashes at PMQs.

Mr Sunak lashed out after the Labour leader slammed the government’s ‘mess’ ahead of figures tomorrow expected to show net inflows soaring.

Sir Keir said the Tories had made promises on bringing levels below 100,000 but that had been ‘broken’ – complaining that not enough effort had been made to train up Brits for vacant jobs.

But Mr Sunak pointed to remarks by Labour chair Anneliese Dodds suggesting that net migration would rise if the party comes to power.

‘It turns out that Labour would like to see even more people coming into the UK,’ he swiped, adding that Sir Keir is keen to ‘get free movement back’.  

Rishi Sunak accused Keir Starmer of wanting higher immigration today during bitter clashes at PMQs

After more than 500,000 people arrived in 2021, the net numbers for 2022 could soar closer to one million, according to estimates.

Sir Keir kicked off hostilities in the Commons by asking: ‘How many work visas were issued to foreign nationals last year?’

Mr Sunak said: ‘New statistics, as the honourable gentleman knows, will be out later this week. The most recent statistics we have… as the ONS said at the time, contained a set of unique circumstances, including welcoming many people here for humanitarian reasons.’

Sir Keir said: ‘The figure’s out, it’s a quarter of a million work visas were issued last year. He knows that answer, he just doesn’t want to give it. And the new numbers tomorrow are expected to be even higher.’

Mr Sunak said: ‘Just this week we announced the biggest every single measure to tackle legal migration, removing the right for international students to bring dependents, toughening the rules on post-study work, and reviewing maintenance requirements.

‘But what is (Sir Keir’s) contribution? There are absolutely no ideas… absolutely no semblance that there would be any control. Why? Because he believes in an open-door migration policy.’

The figures due to be released tomorrow are expected to show a massive increase in the overall number of people settling in the UK.

After more than 500,000 people arrived in 2021, the net numbers for 2022 could soar to between 750,000 and one million, according to estimates.

Mr Sunak and Suella Braverman launched a crackdown on foreign postgraduate students bringing families to the UK with them yesterday, as part of a plan to bring numbers back down.

Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Sunak said: ‘We can’t have uncontrolled legal migration… when it is too high and too fast, it can make it difficult for communities to integrate new arrivals.

‘We cannot allow people to come here illegally at the whim of criminal gangs. It’s not fair on those who have played by the rules.

‘It’s not fair on those who desperately need our help but can’t get it because our asylum system is overwhelmed by people travelling here through safe countries.’

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