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Brexit: Theresa May will be 'found out in the end' for exploiting immigration fears, says Labour’s Keir Starmer | Brexit: Theresa May will be 'found out in the end' for exploiting immigration fears, says Labour’s Keir Starmer |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Labour's Keir Starmer has attacked Theresa May by claiming that she will be "found out in the end" on immigration policy. | |
In a speech on Brexit he accused the Prime Minister of exploiting the issue for politcal gain by sitcking to her discredited 'tens of thousands' target. | |
But he also set himself up for a fresh split with cabinet colleagues by saying his party still had to back new immigration controls. | |
Taking aim at the Prime Minister, who has doggedly stuck to her ambition of reducing net migration to the tens of thousands, he said: "Pursuing Brexit in the partisan interest might make Tory party management easier in the short run. | |
"But as David Cameron could tell Theresa May, stray too far from the national interest, and you will be found out in the end. | |
"The Prime Minister’s approach is also alienating the 48 per cent of voters who voted to remain in the EU. They feel increasingly despondent and despairing." | |
However, in his speech Sir Keir also said no comprehensive approach to Brexit can ignore the issue of freedom of movement, going on to promise that Labour would hve a "bold and ambitious" response. | |
In words that appeared to fly in the face of comments made by his shadow cabinet colleague Diane Abbott, he then said: "Our new relationship with the EU has to go beyond an economic argument and protecting our ability to trade in goods and services - vital though they are." | |
Just days ago shadow home secretary Ms Abbott, who speaks for Labour on immigration, said the UK could not "dump" free movement and stay in the single market. | |
She said: "Access to the single market and freedom of movement are inextricably linked, and it would be wrong - and the Labour Party has said this over and over again - it would be wrong to put the economy anything other than first." | |
Setting out Labour's approach to Brexit more broadly, Sir Keir said the party will push for a Brexit model which maintains and protects the UK's "ability to trade goods and deliver services with and to the EU". | |
He added: "That means a model that ensures continued tariff-free trade for UK businesses with the EU, a model that ensures that any new regulatory frameworks do not add bureaucratic burdens or risk harmful divergence from the EU market. | |
"A model that protects the competitiveness of our services and manufacturing sectors and a model that ensures that existing protections at work provided by the EU are maintained." | |
He delivered his speech from Bloomberg, where David Cameron first announced there would be an EU referendum, he slammed the ex-Tory Prime Minister for undertaking one of "the greatest derelictions of duty" of any British government for failing to plan for Brexit. |