Amber Rudd hints at Cabinet splits over whether the Tories will keep their pledge to bring immigration down to the tens of thousands

  • PM has said she is committed to bringing numbers down to a 'sustainable' level in the tens of thousands
  • But Home Secretray Amber Rudd refused to say if the pledge would be in the party's manifesto
  • The Conservatives have yet to unveil their manifesto ahead of June 8 vote

By KATE FERGUSON, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT FOR MAILONLINE

Published: | Updated:

Home Secretray Amber Rudd, pictured outside Downing St last Wednesday, repeatedly refused to say if the Tories will keep the pledge in its party manifesto

Home Secretray Amber Rudd, pictured outside Downing St last Wednesday, repeatedly refused to say if the Tories will keep the pledge in its party manifesto

Amber Rudd has hinted at Cabinet splits over whether the Tories will keep their commitment to bring net migration down to the tens of thousands.

Theresa May last month appeared to re-pledge the party to the promise when she said she was committed to bringing numbers down to a 'sustainable' level in the tens of thousands. 

But the Home Secretary repeatedly refused to say if the Tories will keep the pledge in its party manifesto.

Asked if they will keep the same wording, she told Pienaar's Politics on BBC Radio 5 Live: 'We will be coming forward with our manifesto soon and all will be revealed in there.

'That's why we are having a new manifesto – it is not going to be identical to the last one. We are setting out for hopefully for a five year term.

'We have got a lot to think through to work out what's the best way to deliver on our priorities.

'My personal view is that we need to continue to bring immigration down, I want to make sure that we do it in a way that supports businesses.

'We know we are ending freedom of movement when we are leaving the European Union, so the situation from that time and manifesto…..has changed because we are leaving the European Union.

'So it is right that we look at it again.' 

Asked if he agreed with Culture Secretary Karen Bradley that immigration policy is 'not about putting numbers on it', she added: 'It's too early to say.'

The Tories have yet to say when they will be unveiling their manifesto. 

But the PM last month said she was still committed to bringing the numbers down to the target. 

Theresa May, pictured yesterday on the campaign trail in Wolverhampton, has she she is committed to bringing down immigration to sustainable levels in the tens of thousands 

Theresa May, pictured yesterday on the campaign trail in Wolverhampton, has she she is committed to bringing down immigration to sustainable levels in the tens of thousands 

But speaking during an election visit to Enfield, in north London, Mrs May insisted: 'We want to see sustainable net migration in this country.

'I believe that sustainable net migration is in the tens of thousands.

'Leaving the European Union enables us to control our borders in relation to people coming from the EU, as well as those who are coming from outside.' 

It will be a major policy departure if they decide to ditch the tens of thousands pledge. 

There have been calls for students to be taken out of the net migration numbers.

Ms Rudd was not drawn on whether the Tories would do this, but said that it  'does not' want to keep foreign students out.      

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