Cabinet minister Kemi Badenoch has said she is pushing for for “much, much tougher” immigration measures after the number of people coming to the UK soared to a record high.
The business secretary said she wanted Rishi Sunak to do “whatever it takes” to bring down net migration amid growing frustration among right-wing Conservative MPs.
The intervention come as Mr Sunak faces a growing backbench Tory revolt over immigration and splits in cabinet, after shock figures showed net migration hit a new record of 745,000 last year.
The Independent understands a response to the record-high migration figures has been delayed by different departments continuing to argue about how far Mr Sunak should go with a crackdown on visas.
Former home secretary Suella Braverman’s camp revealed an alleged pact between her and Mr Sunak in which he apparently agreed to a series of tough restrictions on migrants.
Speaking to LBC on Monday, Ms Badenoch said: “I am certainly in favour of us doing whatever it takes to bring the numbers down to a sustainable level. This is not something that I’m being mealy-mouthed about.”
She added: “I certainly will be pushing for the strongest measures possible. The migration figures that we’ve seen were from last year… I think that you will be seeing much, much tougher measures going forward.”
Despite concerns the new push to restrict the number of visas could impact on business and the NHS, Ms Badenoch said “we need to make sure that they’re not undercutting our workforce, and that they are people who are coming to the UK to contribute.”
Right-wing Tory MP Simon Clarke backed Ms Badenoch’s call, tweeting “rightly so” in response to the idea of pushing for tougher measures, saying it was “impossible to overstate” the importance of the issue to voters.
The Home Office is pushing for tough measures to cut the number of foreign health and social care staff, while the health department is believed to be resisting moves that could worsen the NHS staffing crisis.
Business and trade secretary Kemi Badenoch (Henry Nicholls/PA)
It comes as Ms Braverman’s camp revealed details of a “secret” four-point migration plan Mr Sunak is said to have agreed with her as he sought her support to become PM last year.
He promised to raise the salary threshold for migrants to £40,000 as part of a series of measures to bring down migration, Ms Braverman’s allies said.
Other parts of the plan included closing down the graduate visa route, restricting the number of dependents migrants can bring to the UK and prioritising overseas students applying for Russell Group universities.
Mr Sunak did not sign the deal, but agreed to it verbally on multiple occasions, allies of Ms Braverman told The Telegraph. She has branded her ex-boss a “failure” and accused him of betraying the deal.
Grilled on Ms Braverman’s claims of broken promises, the PM’s official spokesman said No 10 does not “recognise that characterisation” of deals made during the leadership bid.
Asked about the deal, Mr Sunak told the Mail on Sunday: “Of course, you have conversations with people when you are in a leadership election and not just Suella.” Asked if he was worried about her producing proof of the deal, he said: “That’s a question for her.”
Prime minister Rishi Sunak is under pressure over net migration figures (PA)
Downing Street also said on Monday the government was “not going to put an overall number” on net migration now wanted – insisting that work was ongoing on “further measures” to cut the record highs.
No 10 said on Monday that the Rwanda asylum plan is not a “silver bullet” in stopping Channel crossings, amid right-wing Tory unease about home secretary James Cleverly’s comment that the deportation plan is not the “be all and end all”.
Downing Street declined to set out a timeline of new Rwanda legislation or a revised treaty with the central African country – saying it would be “weeks” away despite Mr Cleverly’s previous claim it would be “days”.
It follows reports Rwanda was refusing to sign a treaty that would include British officials’ involvement in its legal system.
Asked what was taking so long, Mr Sunak’s official spokesman said: “It’s right to ensure we have the strongest possible position because we want both the treaty and the bill to have the best possible chance of success.”
Home secretary James Cleverly has said Rwanda plan not ‘be all and end all’
No 10 has promised to leave “no stone unturned” in exploring measures to bring down legal migration. The PM is said to be considering some of the ideas pushed by Ms Braverman and her ally immigration Robert Jenrick – including raising salary thresholds.
Mr Sunak is said to be ready to cut the number of relatives foreign health and social care workers are allowed to bring to only one.
But Mr Jenrick is thought to be pushing for a cap on visas for people working in the NHS and social care, and a ban on foreign social care workers from bringing any dependents.
Ms Braverman’s proposal to raise the minimum salary threshold for skilled foreign worker visas from £26,000 to £40,000 has also been backed by Boris Johnson, who claimed it was time for Mr Sunak to use Britain’s Brexit freedoms.
Despite the Tory right’s push for a student visa crackdown, Mr Sunak made a point of boasting about a student visa scheme which allows high achievers to come to UK during his speech to business leaders at Hampton Court Palace on Monday.
Meanwhile, levelling up secretary Michael Gove has said the UK does not have enough housing to cope with current net migration levels.
Asked if housing levels were not enough to cope, he told Times Radio: “Yes. In fact, I think actually the situation is, if anything, worse than you depict. It is the case that the migratory flows put more pressure on housing, but we haven’t built enough homes overall for generations.”
