No 10 declines to say Truss is committed to reducing migration

Downing Street has declined to confirm that Liz Truss will stick to the Conservative Party’s manifesto pledge to reduce overall net migration.

The admission is likely to heighten concerns among some Tory MPs that Suella Braverman’s departure as home secretary was linked to a softening of immigration policy, and that the embattled Prime Minister could rip up the 2019 manifesto without consultation.

Ms Truss’s official spokesman told reporters on Thursday: “We have a commitment to control immigration. We recognise that, alongside that, economic stability and growing the economy are important.

“The Government is considering how best to strike that balance and we will come forward with more detail”.

The official refused to “pre-empt further discussion”.

In her resignation letter, Ms Braverman lashed out at Ms Truss’s “tumultuous” premiership and accused the Government of “breaking key pledges” including on immigration policy.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman declined to say whether Ms Truss and Ms Braverman’s views on immigration were “incompatible”, but said “there was an ongoing discussion between the Home Secretary, Prime Minister and indeed others in Cabinet on the issue of migration”.

The Tories’ 2019 manifesto pledged that overall migrant numbers would come down.

But Ms Truss has previously signalled that immigration rules would be loosened as part of her mission to boost growth.

Cabinet Office minister Brendan Clarke-Smith told his party’s backbenchers in the Commons that the Government “stands firm in tackling illegal immigration” and the departure was linked to a breach of the Ministerial Code.

But he stopped short of outlining the Government’s current immigration policy when asked to by North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen for “the avoidance of doubt”, with the Tory backbencher also asking if the policy is currently under review.

The minister insisted he was not there to discuss immigration policy, but to talk about Ms Braverman’s departure.

But he added: “I am sure that the new Home Secretary (Grant Shapps) will come to the House, and I am sure he will be discussing that in line with the growth plan and our commitment to tackle immigration, at a future date.”

Scott Benton, Conservative MP for Blackpool South, said: “I was very disappointed to see the previous home secretary leave her role. She is a tremendous loss to those of us who hope that one day, just one day, this Government might finally get a grip of the small boats crisis.

“It would be a huge mistake if this Government were to soften its tough line on preventing illegal immigrants entering this country upon her departure.”

Responding, Mr Clarke-Smith noted that the Prime Minister thanked the former home secretary for her work, which he said included “clamping down on illegal immigration, keeping the British people safe” and adding: “I’m sure that work will continue.”

Conservative former minister and Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh said he had “great confidence in the former home secretary’s determination that we meet our manifesto commitments”.

He asked: “Can the minister assure us this resignation was entirely due to a technical breach of the rules and there was no policy disagreement between the Prime Minister and the home secretary?”

Mr Clarke-Smith replied: “I can reassure him this Government stands firm in tackling illegal immigration.

“And, once again, this is not my policy area. I am sure the new Home Secretary will highlight this.

“I would also reassure him that he will have seen the resignation letter from the former home secretary where she does outline her reasons and that this was for a breach of the Ministerial Code, which is why she took the decision to resign.”

He was also pressed by Tory Lee Anderson, with the Ashfield MP “not convinced” the Government was “totally behind the previous home secretary”.

Mr Clarke-Smith said he did not want to “pre-empt” the new Home Secretary but added: “I am sure when he next comes to this House he will be able to give you the assurance that you seek.”

Mr Clarke-Smith faced questions in the Commons in response to an urgent question from the shadow home secretary, with Yvette Cooper noting that Mr Shapps was not present, and describing Government scenes on Wednesday as a “disgrace”.

The minister explained to MPs that Ms Braverman shared “draft government policy, which remains subject to Cabinet’s committee agreement” from a personal email account.

He said that amounted to a “contravention of the Ministerial Code relating to a breach of Cabinet confidentiality and the rules relating to the security of Government business”.

Asked by Labour MP John Spellar what the security classification was for the documents, and whether other ministers are using personal email accounts to conduct Government business, Mr Clarke-Smith said: “This is not information that I am privy to. It is also not information that should necessarily be in the public domain either.”

He added: “We are dealing with sensitive Government matters and it is important that sensitive Government documents are therefore kept sensitive. This is the reason the home secretary tendered her resignation. She recognises that and that this breached the ministerial code.”

Asked later in the session if he thinks the UK has strong and decisive leadership, Mr Clarke-Smith said: “I absolutely do have that strong and decisive leadership.

“And it was strong and decisive leadership that received the resignation of the home secretary and then appointed another home secretary the same afternoon.”