Labour refuses to set specific targets to cut net migration insisting aim is to ‘make significant difference’ to numbers

2 June 2024, 11:22 | Updated: 2 June 2024, 14:08

Yvette Cooper has refused to set specific targets to cut net migration as she insisted Labour is aiming to achieve a number that will ‘make a significant difference’.

Speaking to LBC’s Sunday with Lewis Goodall, the shadow home secretary refused to give an exact target for cutting net migration.

Pressed by Lewis for more detail on the type of figure Labour is hoping to achieve, Ms Cooper replied: “I think it's really important to recognise that every time the government has set specific targets, it's failed. What we're doing is setting out clear areas.

“So for example, on health and social care, on social care visas, the number of visas went up from 3,000 a year to over 100,000 a year just in the space of 18 months.”

Asked by Lewis if this meant if Labour cut net migration 1000 by the end of next Parliament the party would have achieved its pledge, Ms Cooper said: “That's clearly the objective that we're saying is to make a significant difference and to make sure that net migration comes down.”

Pressed further on what a ‘significant difference’ would look like, she continued: “I understand that that you would like me to set different figures and targets and I really think having seen the way the Conservatives have done that repeatedly, it's just not the sensible way to do it.

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“And what we're doing instead is saying, look, we support the measures that the government has already introduced in recent months. And we'll support those playing through. But what we'll also do is have this new approach to actually tackling the skills shortages and getting people back into work.”

It comes after Labour accused the Tories of having repeatedly broken their promises” to tackle migration as Sir Keir confirmed he is putting the migration plan in his manifesto.

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The plans will include passing laws to ban law-breaking employers from hiring foreign workers and to train more Britons.

Figures published after Rishi Sunak called the general election showed a net migration figure of 685,000 for 2023.

The figure for last year is down from a record 764,000 in 2022 but is still three times higher than the number in 2019.

Ms Cooper also denied being aware of any deals of recent reports that Labour MPs have been offered peerages to prevent them from standing in the General Election on July 4.

Several left-wing MPs claimed that since the July 4 poll was announced, they have been told they would be raised to the House of Lords if they pass up their seats to allied of Sir Keir, according to The Sunday Times.

It comes after Sir Keir was accused of orchestrating a left-wing purge of his party when reports emerged that Diane Abbott had been barred from standing.

Asked if Ms Abbott was the sort of person she thought could make a contribution to the upper house, Ms Cooper said: “Well, my understanding is that I am expecting Diane to stand as a candidate in the election.”