BRITISH home secretary Priti Patel has said that the Conservative PArty would cut "immigration overall" to the UK after Brexit if they were to win the December 12 general election.
"We will reduce immigration overall while being more open and flexible to the highly skilled people we need, such as scientists and doctors," she said in a statement released by the party on Wednesday (13).
"This can only happen if people vote for a Conservative majority government so we can leave the EU with a deal."
Patel, however, did not spell out how she plans to cut down immigration.
The party is planning to end free movement from the EU on January 1, 2021, if they win the election and get their Brexit deal through by January 31.
They are planning a "points-based" system that would apply to EU and non-EU migrants.
The home secretary also claimed there would be a "surge" in immigration under a Labour government, which would put a strain on the NHS and other public services.
According to her, Labour’s plan to extend freedom of movement could treble net migration to 840,000 a year.
“Under Corbyn's Labour, immigration would surge, and put huge strain on schools and our NHS," Patel said. "Jeremy Corbyn has no credible plan for how to deal with the consequences of his open borders policy.”
But shadow home secretary Diane Abbott shot back, accusing the Tories of spreading "more fake news from the Conservative Party's make-believe research department".
She added: "Unlike the Tories we won't scapegoat migrants or deport our own Windrush generation citizens. The damage done to our society has been through damaging Conservative cuts to our public services, not by EU nationals coming to work in them."
Labour has not yet released its immigration policy.
Davindra and Seema Misra, and Vijay and Gita Parekh
Varchas Patel with his father Vipin and mother Jayshriben
Hasmukh Shingadia and his wife Chandrika were all victims of the Horizon scandal
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)