Diane Abbott to dismiss Theresa May’s ‘arbitrary’ immigration targets in major speech

Shadow home secretary will also announce Labour's plans to overhaul of government’s visa policy

'As we have learnt in the Windrush scandal, if you have numerical targets for deportation, you end up deporting your own citizens' (PA)

Diane Abbott will commit Labour to introducing an immigration system that puts the economy ahead of “arbitrary” numerical targets currently pursued by Theresa May’s government.

In a major speech, setting out her party’s approach to immigration, the shadow home secretary will describe the Conservatives’ pledge to reduce migration to the tens of thousands as “foolish” and “reckless”.

Ms Abbott, one of Jeremy Corbyn’s closest allies in Westminster, will also call for a major shake-up of the work visa system, insisting that a flexible scheme needs to be introduced to ensure the UK attracts people with key skills from across the globe.

And she will say that Labour will review immigration application charges and commit to ending “rip off” and “exorbitant” fees for those applying to live and work in Britain.

Referring to the “Go Home” vans used by the Home Office during Theresa May’s tenure as home secretary and the revelation that citizens of the Windrush era were deported, she will add: “These were the policies of Enoch Powell”.

On the tens of thousands pledge - something that has never been met since it was first promised in 2010 by David Cameron - Ms Abbott will say: “This is not a real target at all. It is a fake. It was plucked out of the air, without any evidence.

“The failure to meet it is blamed on others. This is despite the fact that migration from the Commonwealth and elsewhere outside the EU is within the government’s control. Yet ministers and the prime minister in particular are wedded to this policy announcement and never tire of repeating it.”

She will add: “The truth is this: either you can have rational, evidence-based criteria for migration. Or you can have numerical targets. You can’t have both.

“As we have learnt in the Windrush scandal, if you have numerical targets for deportation, you end up deporting your own citizens. Or, you can have numerical targets for visas, and you end up excluding doctors, nurses, engineers and others.”

On immigration application fees, the shadow home secretary wil sayl that charges requested by the Home Office are “in many cases exorbitant” and commit Labour to reviewing them.

It comes after it emerged the Home Office was making profits of up to 800 per cent on some applications from families, which Ms Abbott will describe as “discriminatory and unjustifiable”.

“The cost of a settlement visa for a dependent relative has increased by 450 per cent over the last 10 years. This not right. Exorbitant charges hit the poor and those with larger families the hardest,” she will add in a speech in Westminster.

“Labour will end this rip-off. Charges will be reviewed so that they closer reflect the actual cost. Even [Home Secretary] Sajid Javid seems to accept this point, but we will see.”

Ms Abbott will also say that Labour will focus on preventing illegal immigration into the UK and reaffirm the party’s general election commitment to hire 500 extra border guards.

“They are vital in the fight against people-traffickers, and drug and gun smugglers, as well as preventing illegal immigration,” she will say.

“We will also make the system of deportation of overseas criminals much easier and smoother. If a judge issues a recommendation for deportation for serious criminals post-sentence, that should be carried out as a matter of routine. From prison to the airport.”