May: EU migration could rise in wake of Brexit vote

Theresa May has admitted that EU migration could rise in the wake of the Brexit vote as people seek to enter the UK before it leaves the union.

Speaking on ITV's Peston show Ms May said: "If we're looking ahead over the coming months and years once we get the issue of the EU negotiation sorted, the right deal for Britain, we may very well see in the run-up to that, people wanting to come here to the UK before that exit happens, so there are factors you can't always predict what the timing and numbers of those will be."

She also appeared to back away from the Conservative party's target to get net migration down to the tens of thousands, suggesting that while there is more work to do the renegotiation will set out firm numbers.

Ms May said: "There's still a job to be done from people outside the EU.

"There's also, of course, the future negotiation in relation to free movement for people coming from inside the EU. I'm very clear the Brexit vote gave us a very clear message from people that we couldn't allow free movement to continue as it had hitherto.