Tories stick to net migration target

A pledge to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands will be included in the Conservative manifesto, reports the BBC.

Today’s papers

Theresa May will repeat a promise to cut migration, despite Amber Rudd refusing to say on 7 May whether or not the pledge made in 2010 and 2015 would be repeated, reports the BBC. It says that the measure “will definitely be in the manifesto”, and points out that the promise to cut net migration to the tens of thousands “has never been met and recent figures put net migration at 273,000”. The Times had reported on 20 April that the prime minister was prepared to soften her opposition to removing international students from the migration figures in order to get the higher education and research bill passed, but the legislation was enacted without this concession proving necessary. It now appears highly unlikely that Universities UK’s demands to reclassify international students so they are not considered long-term migrants for public policy purposes will be heeded. The Conservative manifesto will be published next week, reports the Financial Times.