Theresa May humiliated Boris Johnson today by torpedoing his plan for an Australian-style ‘points’ scheme.
The Prime Minister has vowed to find a more effective way of cutting the numbers moving to Britain than the populist plan backed by Vote Leave and UKIP during the EU referendum campaign.
Nigel Farage and other hard-right Brexiteersthis morning accused her of ‘backsliding’ after her comments at the G20 summit in China that a points-based immigration system would not work.
Today a Number 10 spokeswoman categorically ruled out the plan – despite it having been a key pledge of Tory chum Mr Johnson’s ‘Vote Leave’ campaign.
But she also made clear Mrs May is instead planning a much tougher clampdown on immigration when Britain eventually leaves the EU.
“A points-based system will not work and is not an option,” the Downing Street official said.
In a withering verdict on the system favoured by Boris and other leading Tory Brexiteers, she went on: “When Labour introduced a points-based system, the numbers went straight up.
“In Australia they have a points-based system, and they have higher immigration per capita than Britain.
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“A points-based system would give foreign nationals the right to come to Britain if they meet certain criteria – an immigration system that works for Britain would ensure that the right to decide who comes to the country resides with the Government.”
Mrs May’s position is humiliating for Mr Johnson – now her Foreign Secretary – and several other Tory Cabinet Ministers who have publicly backed an Australian-style scheme.
The system works by setting out criteria for would-be-immigrants based on factors such as background, skills and salary.
Only people who accrue a set number of ‘points’ are allowed a visa to settle in the UK.
The idea had long been supported by Nigel Farage and UKIP, and was adopted by Vote Leave as a campaign pledge as the referendum date loomed.
Cabinet Ministers including Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and International Development Secretary Priti Patel are among those who voiced their support.
And only last month two leading Tory Brexiteers – former cabinet ministers Iain Duncan Smith and Theresa Villiers – demanded Mrs May introduce the system by 2020.
But giving her verdict at the G20 summit last night, Mrs May said: “One of the issues is whether points-based systems do work,” the PM said bluntly.
“A lot of people talk about points-based systems always being the answer in immigration. There is no single silver bullet that is the answer in terms of dealing with immigration.
“You have to look across the board, you have to look at the whole range of issues.
“Not just how you bring control to the rules you have for people coming in, but also rooting out abuse in the system and obviously dealing with people if they are discovered here illegally.”
However Mrs May has yet to set out any details of alternative system which would be more effective at cutting immigration.
Labour’s shadow home secretary Andy Burnham accused the Government of “confusion”.
He said: “The referendum was a major decision and what the country needed more than anything else was leadership from Ministers.
“But instead, we are getting confusion from the Tory Government on its immigration policy.
“A number of members of the Cabinet made this pledge and voters will be surprised to see the Prime Minister rip it up without any consultation. The Government must clear this up without delay.”
