Starmer: record net migration shows Tories ran ‘open borders experiment’

PM says previous government deliberately liberalised' post-Brexit immigration as he announces deal with Iraq

Keir Starmer has accused the Conservatives of running an open borders experiment" after new figures showed that net migration to the UK hit a record high of nearly 1 million in a period covering Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak's administrations.

The prime minister announced a deal with Iraq to tackle people-smugglers and a white paper to overhaul the visa system, before demanding an explanation" from Kemi Badenoch for her party's decision to deliberately liberalise immigration" after the Brexit vote.