09:35

Amber Rudd, the home secretary, speaking at a Times/Redbox fringe gave little away about her department’s progress on what a post-Brexit immigration system is going to look like. She did however stress that it was the freedom of movement of EU labour rather than of tourists or visitors that she was interested in restricting.

She said that the important thing was to restrict the freedom of movement but “we must make sure that we do not disadvantage the economy as we do it. There are areas where we can reduce immigration without damaging the economy.”

Rudd confirmed that the 2015 Conservative manifesto commitment to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands still stands.

The only hint she gave of future immigration policy came when she was asked about Vote Leave campaign promises that curbs on EU migration could lead to increases in migration from Australia, India and other parts of the Commonwealth. She made quite clear that increasing Commonwealth immigration was not being considered: “There are no plans to increase immigration from Australia. Did somebody promise to increase migration from Australia? Who was that?” she asked.

“Oh Mr Johnson again,” she said when she was told it was the foreign secretary.