Labour’s deputy stumped 5 times over migrants

LABOUR’S deputy leader acknowledged the party was in chaos over immigration yesterday as he refused five times to clarify its policy on EU free movement.

In an extraordinary interview, Tom Watson told Sky News it was ‘unfair’ to even ask him what Labour’s position on the issue was. He indicated his own support for abandoning the commitment to EU free movement, saying: ‘For the Labour party what we can’t support is the status quo.’

But he then continually refused to confirm whether the party as a whole had given up defending the principle. Instead, he said: ‘It’s unfair of you to ask what Labour’s notional position is when we don’t even know what Theresa May’s negotiating position is on free movement. Let’s see what [she] comes up with.’

The issue now looks set to overshadow Jeremy Corbyn’s attempted leadership relaunch tomorrow – with moderate MPs lining up to urge him to back curbs to free movement.

Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer yesterday repeated his call for Labour to accept that free movement rules ‘have to change’ in the wake of last year’s EU referendum.

Former frontbencher Emma Reynolds and Neil

‘I think you have a fair point on that’

Kinnock’s MP son Stephen yesterday issued a joint warning that Labour’s stance on immigration was ‘deeply corrosive to our standing in the country’. And Mr Watson, said he wanted Labour to back ‘control of our borders’.

He said Labour had to have ‘convincing, fair solutions so people’s genuine concerns about immigration are addressed. If we don’t address that issue then Labour won’t win that election’.

Mr Corbyn has said mass immigration is ‘not necessarily a problem’ and is opposed to any restrictions on EU migrants.

While he has backed moves to tackle ‘exploitative’ employers taking on low-paid migrants, many senior Labour MPs believe this is not enough.

Asked about the confusion caused by the split between Mr Corbyn and his own MPs, Mr Watson said: ‘I think you have got a fair point on that and it centres around this debate around free movement of labour. We want a fair immigration system.’

But Mr Watson appeared to accept there was no prospect of ditching the party’s leader. He said it was ‘very clear’ that Mr Corbyn would lead the party into the 2020 General Election.