Win an iPhone 11: 'We will get the numbers down': Boris Johnson pledges to reduce 'very high' unskilled immigration. Boris Johnson insisted the Tories would reduce unskilled immigration into Britain today as he said current rates were 'very high'. The Prime Minister said he was 'a pro-immigration politician' but said that changes would be made if he won the election and went through with Brexit.
His comments in a BBC interview came after hardline Home Secretary Priti Patel yesterday vowed to reduce numbers but declined to commit to 'arbitrary targets'.
Mr Johnson also declined to put a target on immigration levels this morning but said that the current rate was putting a 'strain' on public services and holding down wages.
These claims are disputed by Labour, which is fighting its own internal battle over immigration policy.
Mr Johnson told the BBC: 'When it comes to unskilled immigration, people that don't have a job to come to, we will get the numbers down.
'And overall as a result it will be lower. I can't give you a figure, but it will be lower. If you'll forgive me I'm not going to get into a numbers game.'
The Tories have abandoned a decade-old pledge to cut net migration to below 100,000 a year. But Ms Patel yesterday said: 'We will reduce immigration while being more open to the highly skilled people we need.'
When asked about NHS staff and immigration today, Mr Johnson said that the Conservatives were introducing new fast-track visas for nurses, 'not just from other EU countries but from across the world'.
The PM was asked by a caller to the BBC 5 Live phone-in if he felt any shame or responsibility for the state of the NHS.
He said: 'Of course I feel a massive sense of responsibility, I take responsibility for everything the government does, that's my job.
'Let's be in no doubt. I'm proud of everything the NHS does and I'm acutely conscious we need more funding.'
Yesterday a senior Labour
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