Labour's Yvette Cooper vows to cut immigration figures - but refuses to say by how much and when, sparking mockery from Tories

Labour has vowed to cut immigration 'significantly' – but refused to say by how much or by when.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the party expected to see a 'swift' fall in the number of arrivals.

But she refused to set specific targets, arguing there must be flexibility for events such as the war in Ukraine.

Ms Cooper told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: 'We're not setting a target and the reason for that is partly because, to be honest, every time the Conservatives have done this, they have just ended up being totally all over the place, ripping it up and discrediting the whole system.

'Also, from one year to another, there are variations. So, for example, the pandemic means the net migration figures, of course, fell, but the Homes For Ukraine visa rightly meant that the figures increased because of the war.'

Pushed to commit to a target, she said: 'We clearly want to see significant changes in place because we have seen the numbers treble.'

Net migration to the UK was 685,000 in 2023 – the second highest on record. In 2022 it was 745,000.

Yesterday Sir Keir Starmer said reducing net migration would be a Labour manifesto commitment, telling The Sun on Sunday: 'Read my lips, I will bring immigration numbers down.'

However their position prompted mockery from Conservatives, who said Labour would make the UK a 'magnet' for illegal migrants.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said: 'This is yet another day where Starmer will say what he thinks people want to hear during an election because he lacks conviction to say what he believes. 

'A Labour government would allow open door immigration, making the UK a magnet for illegal migrants.'

Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick tweeted: 'He [Sir Keir] doesn't want to reduce immigration or stop the boats. Never did. Never will.'

The Conservatives have repeatedly vowed to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands – a target that has not been met.

As part of its pledge, the party has said it will send Channel boat migrants to Rwanda – a move Labour has said it will scrap. 

However Ms Cooper declined to rule out offshore processing of asylum seekers.

Yesterday Sir Keir vowed to get migration down by banning law-breaking bosses from hiring foreign workers, and increasing training for British workers.

He said last year's figures had to come down, adding that a Labour government would 'control our borders and make sure British businesses are helped to hire Brits first'.

Today Sir Keir will make a renewed pitch for Tory voters, saying Labour is the 'party of national security'. The Labour leader is expected to meet Armed Forces veterans when he campaigns in the North West.