UK: Conservatives promise to cut 'immigration overall' if voted back to power

The UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, stated that the ruling conservatives would lower the immigration overall to the UK after the country leaves the European Union, only if they won the December 12 general elections. According to reports, Patel said that immigration will be reduced overall but will be open to coming in of highly skilled workers such as scientists and doctors.

'Only possible if the Conservatives come into power'

She further added that such a thing can only happen if the conservatives are voted as the majority government in order to have the Brexit with a deal. Patel said that there would be an increase in immigration under the Labor majority government which will, in turn, put pressure on the NHS (National Health Services) and other public services. However, she did not mention the measures her party would take to cut immigration.

According to reports, the Conservatives stated that they would work towards ending free movement from the European Union on January 1, 2021, if they win the general elections and get "their" Brexit deal through by January 31, 2020.

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A point-based system?

The party is thinking of implementing a point-based system that will be based on skills and a few other factors which would apply to both EU and non-EU migrants. However, the Conservatives are expected to back off from their promise of cutting the net migration (the net difference between the number of people coming to the UK and leaving it) after failing to meet it. While speaking to a local media outlet, Home Office Minister, Victoria Atkins, avoided talking about whether the rate of immigration would be higher or lower under a potential conservative government after the elections.

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According to reports, members of the Labour party supported a party conference motion in the month of September defending the right of the European Union migrants to live and work in the United Kingdom and to rebuff any type of an immigration system based on quotas, caps, targets, or incomes, etc. However, the latest reports suggest that migration numbers have remained stable since the end of 2016, European Union migration to the United Kingdom has hit its lowest level since the year 2013.

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(With inputs from agencies)