A leaked cabinet office document shows that Theresa May sought to undermine the Remain campaign in the EU referendum by refusing to make the positive case for immigration.
The document, seen by The Independent, shows that May did not back a cross-departmental drive to bring focus to “the positive impacts that migration can have on the economy as a whole and on individual public services.”
May was in charge of the Home Office when the controversial migration target was introduced. Many feel that this experience has moulded her anti-immigration approach to Brexit.
A campaign has been launched by Open Britain, a cross party grouping of MPs, to encourage the government to drop the migration target.
Chuka Umunna, Labour member for Streatham and supporter of Open Britain, says:
“An ideological PM undermined the referendum campaign by failing to make the case for the value of migration.
“She helped sabotage Remain by refusing to properly engage with the migration debate. She is now compounding the cost by putting extreme migration cuts ahead of economic growth and jobs, leaving the single market based on the fantasy that the same benefits can be secured outside of it.
“It’s time to drop the tens of thousands migration target.”
See: ‘Drop the Target’ campaigners call on government to abandon ‘tens of thousands’ migration pledge
One Response to “Theresa May refused to make positive case for immigration in EU referendum”
Craig Mackay
Sadly, Theresa May has an appalling record on immigration for many years. As Home Secretary she could have used the powers that the EU gives to every government to manage immigration but she took no action. Her negligence is one of the main reasons why immigration has become such a toxic business. She has cynically used immigration as a ladder to her ascent to her present position of power. It is quite shameful. You can read more about it here: http://outsidethebubble.net/2016/12/06/massive-negligence-by-theresa-may-when-home-secretary/