Now Corbyn is in La La Land about EU migrants

JEREMY Corbyn will today defy the Brexit vote by committing Labour to unlimited EU immigration.

Ruling out curbs on free movement, he will tell the party conference: ‘We will not sow division or fan the flames of fear.’

He will unveil plans for a ‘migrant impact fund’ to build schools and hospitals in under-pressure areas. Bizarrely, he wants to harmonise wages across Europe to make moving to other countries less attractive.

The proposals put Mr Corbyn on a collision course with his leading MPs. They are urging him to heed the referendum result and regain control over Britain’s borders.

Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham will today warn Labour has been ‘way too slow’ to heed public concerns about immigration. But a spokesman for Mr Corbyn said he was ‘relaxed’ about the issue, adding: ‘He is not concerned about numbers.’

Labour sources said the size of the migrant impact fund would be based on need – with no limit on the demands imposed on taxpayers.

‘It is not an objective to reduce the numbers,’ said Mr Corbyn’s spokesman. ‘It is to reduce the issues caused by immigration.’

Asked if Mr Corbyn wants curbs on free movement as part of the Brexit deal, he replied: ‘No, not at all.’

In a round of interviews last night, Mr Corbyn said: ‘What I would do about immigration is try to bring about a degree of coterminosity, a degree of equality of work conditions and wages across Europe.

‘Post-Brexit, I have been talking to colleagues in socialist parties all across Europe about how we bring in harmonisation of wages and working conditions, which would help reduce the numbers of people flowing each way.’

Wage rates in some EU countries, such as Bulgaria, are as low as £1 an hour – far below the UK’s £7.20 minimum, which Mr Corbyn wants to raise to £10.

In another shambolic day at the conference in Liverpool:

Mr Corbyn suggested he might halt RAF bombing raids on Islamic State forces;

Labour voted to phase out all grammar schools in England;

Deputy leader Tom Watson attacked the lurch to the Left;

Peter Mandelson said he was ‘praying for an early election’ that would see off Mr Corbyn;

A business leader accused Labour of viewing enterprise as a ‘badge of shame’;

Mr Corbyn warned he might reopen the row on Trident;

Mr Corbyn’s soft stance on immigration will dismay moderates. They fear supporters will desert the party unless it supports curbs on free movement.

Mr Burnham will say: ‘Labour must face up fully to this fact – millions of our lifelong supporters voted to leave the EU and voted for change on immigration. The truth is the EU was working better for some parts of our country than for others. For some of our least affluent areas, it wasn’t working well at all.

‘No wonder some places feel abandoned by the political class. Europe wasn’t working for them – and we were way too slow to see it. We must now develop fair Brexit plans that respond to their concerns.’

Former Europe minister Caroline Flint said Mr Corbyn had to accept the public wanted immigration controls – and his pro-migrant language had helped the Brexit cause.

She said: ‘We need to be clear that the public want limits on immigration – we need a policy that works fairly but meets that concern. As the referendum showed, we can’t talk about the net benefit [of migration] in those kind of communities which thinks the opposite.

‘The problem is that, in the public’s mind, the perception is that Jeremy wouldn’t be very safe with people’s security. Will we be safe with him? Does he support the Army?’

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: ‘Jeremy Corbyn wants unlimited immigration – and presides over a party too divided, incompetent and distracted to lead our country.’

Mr Corbyn last night dropped hints that he would reduce the military offensive against IS as prime minister.

Asked if he would halt the bombing raids on IS positions in Syria, he said: ‘I’m not sure it is working. There has to be a political solution that brings together everybody with the exception of IS to isolate them.’

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: ‘Jeremy Corbyn’s refusal to commit to act against a terrorist organisation that is planning attacks to kill people on the streets of Britain shows why Labour cannot be trusted to keep our country safe.’

‘No wonder some feel abandoned’