Home Secretary James Cleverly has defended the Government’s record on immigration, insisting that the numbers have been driven down.
He told GB News: “Illegal migration is coming down because of the actions that I've taken and recent years have seen a couple of a number of unique sets of circumstances.
“After Covid, we saw a large number of people leave the country, particularly going back to their families who they thought it might be the last time they see them. So we saw a lot of people going out during Covid and a number of people come back.
“Also those figures have been distorted because of our offer to Ukrainian refugees…
“Those figures are now coming down because of the action that we are taking with regard to illegal migration. We are operationalising the Rwanda scheme, which Labour's votes have delayed and delayed and delayed, very frustrating for your viewers, very frustrating for me as Home Secretary
“Labour have voted against border control measures over 130 times, and with regards to Reform voters. I understand their frustration in areas like this, but the simple truth of the matter is Reform are not going to [win] the next General Election.
“And if we have a Labour government with their complete open door attitude to border control with their opposition to the Rwanda scheme, and their zero plan for migration.
“Those figures which are the legal migration figures which are heading in the right direction, that will be reversed.
“And with illegal migration, they've said they're going to scrap the Rwanda scheme and their big offer, their big idea is to create a Border Command which already exists…
“A vote for reform will just open the door to a Labour government and the government will open the door to our country.”
Cleverly also addressed the Conservative policy on national service and refused to rule out volunteers being posted to the front lines in any future conflict.
He also brushed off claims that Tory MPs standing down was a sign the Conservatives are heading for an electoral wipeout.
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