Matt Vickers has piled the pressure on Kemi Badenoch over immigration by backing Robert Jenrick’s calls for net emigration.
The Conservative Party Deputy Chairman has supported calls from Mr Jenrick and Suella Braverman to commit to a decade of “net emigration”, which would mean fewer people come to the UK than leave.
The policy would represent a radical shift in policy for the Tories who are battling to grasp the initiative from an insurgent Reform UK.
Reform leader Nigel Farage has said his party would introduce a “net zero” immigration policy, allowing no overall increase in the number of people entering the UK compared with those leaving.
Matt Vickers said illegal migration is 'out of control'
|GB NEWS / PA
Speaking on GB News, Mr Vickers urged the Conservatives to adopt an even tougher stance on immigration than Reform UK.
“Do you know what? Immigration has been way too high into this country for way too long”, he said.
“I back Robert Jenrick’s position. We need to toughen up the system. If you bring someone to this country, you should be able to pay for them.
“Labour scrapped the idea we should have a £38,000 threshold, which means more people are entering legally. Illegally, it’s completely out of control. We’re at record levels. More people are entering than ever before.
“It’s not just a little bit, it’s more than 40 per cent. We can’t continue like that, we can’t sustain that. We need to sort it out and ensure the British taxpayer is put first in these situations.”
Despite appearing to encourage Ms Badenoch to adopt a tougher stance on immigration, Mr Vickers made it clear on GB News he remains fully supportive of the party leader.
“One of the things people criticise a certain other party for is they’re a one-man band”, he said.
“We have a team at the top, ready to deliver, punching on all fronts to ensure we are ready for Government.
“When we’ve won back that trust from the British people, we’re going to sort this immigration crisis out, we’re going to sort the economy out.
“By God, it’s going to be such a mess by the time of the next election if the current incumbent continues the way they are.”