The Conservatives will reportedly again pledge to cut net migration to “tens of thousands” as part of its manifesto for the General Election.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd yesterday (Sunday, May 7) said she wanted to “continue to bring immigration down”, but stopped short of guaranteeing that David Cameron's controversial target would be repeated.

Mr Cameron had made the pledge in 2010, and the figure was included in Tory manifestos that year, and in 2015.

Last month Prime Minister Theresa May - who failed to hit the target as Home Secretary - restated her hope to cut annual net migration to a "sustainable" level in the tens of thousands.

The taregt has never been met, and recent figures for the year to September 2016 put net immigration - the difference between the number of people coming into the country and those leaving at 273,000.

But it is understood that the PM's commitment will be included in the party's 2017 manifesto, due to be released in the next few weeks.

During an election visit to Enfield in April, Mrs May said she still had the target in mind.

But she added: "It's not about putting numbers on it."

"We want to see sustainable net migration in this country.

"I believe that sustainable net migration is in the tens of thousands.

"Leaving the European Union enables us to control our borders in relation to people coming from the EU, as well as those who are coming from outside."

Meanwhile, Ukip leader Paul Nuttall will be setting out his immigration policy on Monday, expected to include a "one in, one out" pledge to cut net migration to zero.

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