An internal policy document leaked to the Daily Mail reveals the party is considering introducing a visa for migrants seeking ‘low-skilled, unskilled or seasonal work’.
The document, drawn up this month by Jeremy Corbyn’s domestic policy adviser, Lachlan Stuart, also proposes axing rules which limit foreign spouses living here unless they can show they will not be a ‘burden’ on the taxpayer.
Labour’s manifesto made no mention of a plan to allow in more unskilled migrants. Mr Corbyn has repeatedly refused to say whether he thinks immigration levels are too high. It came on a day of chaos for Labour in which:
Mr Corbyn suffered another ‘car-crash’ interview on the BBC’s Woman’s Hour show in which he was unable to say how much his flagship childcare policy would cost;
The Labour leader was forced to apologise after his supporters bombarded presenter Emma Barnett with vile anti-Semitic abuse, on the day he was launching the party’s policy to tackle anti-Semitism;
Mr Corbyn was branded a ‘huge disappointment’ by users of the Mumsnet website after he cut short an election chat with mothers;
Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry faced mockery after suggesting British farmers could not increase exports to Australia after Brexit because the food ‘would go off’.
Labour’s manifesto promises ‘fair rules and reasonable management’ of immigration, but gives few details on the type of regime it would operate after Brexit.
Mr Corbyn, who has always opposed a cap on migration, said on Monday that immigration would ‘probably’ come down under Labour, but added: ‘Don’t hold me to that.’
