Labour MPs erupted with laughter in the Commons today as Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp claimed the Conservatives were taking a "new approach to immigration".
The explosive clash came after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper unveiled Labour's immigration crackdown plans.
Cooper presented the Government's Immigration White Paper to parliament, which includes tougher deportation powers and higher visa thresholds.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had earlier written on social media that previous Conservative Governments had "lost control of our borders" and promised to "restore control and cut migration".
Yvette Cooper delivered her immigration crackdown in the Commons today
Commons
The Government aims to reduce net migration, which stood at 728,000 in the 12 months to last June.
Philp launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister, claiming Starmer had undergone "a miraculous conversion" on immigration policy.
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"The Prime Minister seems to have repudiated everything he has ever believed. Or perhaps the Prime Minister is doing what he always does, saying whatever he thinks people want to hear," Philp told the Commons.
He accused Starmer of previously describing immigration law and border control as "racist" and signing a letter opposing the deportation of dangerous foreign criminals.
Philp also claimed the Prime Minister had once pledged to reintroduce "full free movement of people" and advocated for closing Yarlswood immigration removal centre.
Philp's claim about a "new approach" triggered immediate laughter from the Labour benches, with MPs visibly amused at the suggestion.
The Conservative shadow minister continued despite the interruption and said: "It's also no surprise that this plan is so weak that it barely scratches the surface.
"On its very first page, it seeks to create a false impression. It says these applications are down 40 per cent since the election, implying that this is somehow due to the current Government.
"But why are applications actually down by 40 per cent? It's because of changes made by the previous government, which came into force in April 2024, and from the previous peak.
"Net migration is already forecast to fall by around half a million."
Chris Philp seemed unbothered by the cackle from Labour
Commons
The Home Secretary pointed out that when Philp became Immigration Minister in 2020, net migration stood at 170,000 a year.
By 2023, she noted, this figure had risen to 870,000 a year under Conservative leadership.
"Until he admits his failure, until he apologises for the damage that the chaos that he and his party caused, frankly no one is gonna take seriously a single word he says," Cooper declared.
Cooper's immigration crackdown includes giving the Home Office powers to deport foreign criminals convicted of any offence, not just those receiving prison sentences.
Currently, deportation typically targets those with sentences over one year, but the new system will inform ministers of all foreign nationals convicted of crimes.
