Ruth attacks PM on immigration
Davidson tells May: Drop the easy slogan over targets
RUTH Davidson has challenged Theresa May to drop the “easy slogan” of slashing immigration to below 100,000 people a year or risk damaging the economy.
The Scottish Tory leader called on the Prime Minister to make a “Conservative case for immigration”.
Davidson warned that “with the country on the road to full employment, potential for growth is facing ever greater limitations”, without the boost from immigrants.
She said: “The time for easy slogans is over. Let’s treat the British public like the grown ups they are and have the mature conversation we need.”
Davidson also joined calls for students to be removed from the net migration target.
Davidson added: “If people don’t think students should be included in the net migration numbers, let’s take them out and have a clearer picture.”
The Scottish Tory leader has made great play in the past of distancing herself from the UK Tory Party to lever support for the party in Scotland. But as a Remain supporter, Davidson called for a rethink amid fears the economy will be hit if the Tories go for tight migration controls after Brexit.
She said: “We have to ask whether the target continues to be the right one.”
Previous suggestions that the immigration policy should be reviewed have been given short shrift by Downing Street.
But the move was welcomed by Open Britain, the group campaigning against a hard Brexit. Labour’s Wes Streeting MP, a leading supporter of Open Britain, said: “When the leader of the Scottish Conservatives publicly opposes the Government’s immigration policy, it is time for ministers to admit defeat and scrap their ‘tens of thousands’ target.”
Stuart McDonald MP, SNP spokesman on immigration, said: “Brexit threatens to be economically disastrous for Scotland, and it seems Ruth Davidson is only now waking up to that fact.”