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Labour 's civil war over immigration has deepened as a second former Shadow Home Secretary demanded curbs on freedom of movement.

Yvette Cooper ’s latest call for restrictions echoed Andy Burnham , who succeeded her in the frontbench home affairs brief.

And Labour’s second most powerful UK politician, Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones , also backed tougher controls.

Prime Minister Theresa May has signalled slashing migration from the EU will form a key plank of her Brexit strategy.

But Labour’s leadership and current Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott have flatly rejected pleas to limit the numbers coming from the bloc.

Asked if her party’s hierarchy was wrong, Ms Cooper said today: “I said before the referendum that I thought freedom of movement should be reformed within the EU, so I certainly think that we need to change now.

“I don’t think we should be bargaining to continue with free movement.”​

Mr Jones told the Mirror: “People are not happy with the current system of freedom of movement.

“We need to look at other alternatives.”

(Image: Andy Commins)

Shadow Business secretary Clive Lewis also signalled his support for tighter controls.

“The reason we are in the situation we are now is because for many years some businesses and the economic system haven’t worked in the interest of working people,” he told Politics.co.uk.

“Many haven’t been able to collectively bargain or demand better pay and conditions. There would be less pressure and less pointing fingers at immigrants if people both here, and those coming from abroad, were encouraged to join a trade union.”

Immigration to Britain hit a record ​650,000 in the 12 months to June, with net migration – the difference between those leaving and those arriving - the second highest on record at 335,000.

The Home Affairs Committee today announced a year-long inquiry into immigration.

MPs will tour the country taking evidence, with ordinary voters given a chance to have their say through public meetings, online consultations and 60 “citizen juries”.

Unveiling the probe, committee chairman ​Ms Cooper said it was “probably the most divisive issue we face right now as a country”.

She added: “We know immigration’s really important for Britain but it also has to be controlled and managed so that the system is fair and so the public can have confidence in it and support the system.

“Right now, that doesn’t happen and public concern has steadily grown.”

(Image: Getty)

Public debate has been “angry and polarised”, giving an “excuse for some people to whip up fear and hostility, dividing communities and making it harder to have a thoughtful discussion about the reforms that are needed. Some people have felt they can’t speak out”.

But she added: “Just because some people exploit the issue in a way that’s totally wrong doesn’t mean the rest of us should be silent from talking about it or ignore the problem.”

Her call for restrictions follows outspoken interventions by a host of senior Labour MPs, including Shadow Cabinet Member John Healey , and prominent backbenchers Andy Burnham, Frank Field and Dan Jarvis .

Former Shadow Home Secretary Mr Burnham told the Commons June’s referendum underlined the scale of opposition to uncontrolled migration.

“The status quo - full free movement - was defeated at the ballot box and is therefore not an option,” he said.

“We must get the balance right between responding properly to the public’s legitimate concerns whilst minimising the impact on our economy.

“The truth is that unlimited, unskilled migration has destabilised some of our poorest communities.

“There is nothing socialist about a system of open borders that allows multinationals and agencies to treat people as commodities and move them around Europe to drive down labour costs, undermine wages and create a race to the bottom.”