Foreign students ‘likely’ to be classed immigrants

Foreign students are likely to remain in the Government’s targets to cut immigration, the home secretary has said, as she acknowledged differences in opinion on the subject.

Amber Rudd said international students would remain part of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) net migration figures, amid growing clamour for them to be separated.

Over the weekend Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson backed excluding them from the overall numbers, a stance also taken by Chancellor Philip Hammond.

Labour’s shadow home secretary Diane Abbott was among those to press Ms Rudd on the issue at Home Office questions.

But Ms Abbott’s defence of immigration put her at odds with Labour former minister Ian Austin, who warned of the impact of low-skilled migrants in his constituency.

Mr Austin said: “There’s no point national, London politicians lecturing people in places like the Black Country with national statistics, because it has different impacts in different communities.”

In reply, Ms Rudd said it was “a little rich” for Labour to lecture on immigration, while Ms Abbott also defended immigration in her contribution.

Ms Rudd also confirmed that EU citizens already living here will have some sort of documentation, to distinguish them from those who arrive after Brexit.

Replying to former shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, she said: “There will be a need to have some sort of documentation, he is entirely right, but we are not going to set it out yet.”