Boris Johnson accused of lying over pledge to cut immigration after Brexit


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Boris Johnson has been accused of lying to the public over his promises to reduce immigration.

The Conservative Party has set out its plans for an Australian-style points-based immigration system, which would put no limits on highly educated and award-winning workers, investors or entrepreneurs coming to Britain after Brexit.

It would also fast-track and offer reduced fees to doctors, nurses or social care workers who want to come to work in the NHS.

In an interview with Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, Johnson said he could guarantee “numbers will come down” as part of the “controlled” measures.

But shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said Johnson was “misleading” voters about the effectiveness of the proposed new system.

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He also argued the Tories would have “no democratic control” over the immigration numbers due to plans to set-up an independent committee to oversee the points-system implementation.

Labour’s Ashworth told Sky News:

He said the committee will be independent in the same way as the Bank of England is independent so he is misleading people when he says he is bringing immigration down because there will be no democratic control.

There will be no accountability over any decision that any immigration minister makes because it will be handed over to a statutory independent committee – so again Boris Johnson is lying to the British people.

Ashworth immigration
Shadow secretary of state for health Jonathan Ashworth (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
Ashworth said the UK “should absolutely maintain free movement for the National Health Service and the social care sector” as they “literally could not survive if we did not continue to recruit internationally”

During his appearance on Sky News, Johnson also declined to answer three times when asked whether he would resign if he loses the election.

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