David Cameron to lead immigration taskforce with remit of reducing net migration and controlling EU migration
Immigration is set to be one of a number of taskforces set up by David Cameron to oversee the delivery of policy pledges, BBC News reported today.
Other taskforces will be in the areas of troubled families, exports, digital infrastructure, health and social care, "earn or learn" and foreign fighters returning to the UK from Syria and Iraq.
According to BBC News, the remit of the immigration taskforce includes reducing net migration to the tens of thousands, which has been pledged in the last two Conservative manifestos, and controlling migration from the European Union by reforming welfare rules and "reducing reliance on migrant labour", among other measures.
The Prime Minister will take charge of the taskforce, with other members to include Theresa May, George Osborne and Oliver Letwin.
Meanwhile, the Guardian reports today that the pledged repeal of the Human Rights Act will be delayed until after the referendum on Britain's EU membership.
According to the Guardian, David Cameron has not ruled out withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights as a last resort if Strasbourg baulks at Government plans to assert the supremacy of the Supreme Court over the European Court of Human Rights.
The Telegraph reported on Sunday, however, that Cameron had ruled out withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights.
According to the Telegraph, the Prime Minister's position caused a split with Justice Secretary Michael Gove and Home Secretary Theresa May, who both believe that pulling out of the convention entirely may be the "only solution".
A senior government source told the Telegraph: "Withdrawal is not going to happen. Michael Gove and Theresa May think it's the only solution but David Cameron's clear this is off the table. The British bill of rights could mitigate the worst excesses of the human rights act but it won't change the fundamentals."
Labour's Lord Falconer today accused the Government of "clearly making it up as they go along" when it comes to their human rights plans.