Jeremy Corbyn will back away from plans to extend free movement to non-EU countries and let foreign nationals vote in all UK elections, it has been claimed.

Senior Labour figures are reportedly expected to substantially dilute or completely scrap both policies while drawing up their election manifesto in central London today.

This could cause a backlash among grassroots activists who campaigned for the policies' adoption, but it is feared Labour's vulnerable heartlands - which face the possibility of Conservative gains - will not back the plans, The Independent has reported.

Labour heavyweights and trade unions came out in support of the policies at the party's annual conference in September.

Activists are now warning that not giving immigrants the right to vote would fuel 'xenophobia, scaremongering and hate crime', and representatives of foreign nationals living in Britain said backing down would amount to 'pandering to the negative portrayal of immigrants'.

Activists are now warning the Labour leader that not giving immigrants the right to vote would fuel 'xenophobia, scaremongering and hate crime'

The Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Corbyn faces a frontbench split, referring to claims that a draft version of Labour's manifesto contains a commitment to freedom of movement.

The newspaper quoted a shadow cabinet source as saying: 'If we maintain a close relationship with the single market then we are going to have to maintain freedom of movement. That's a given.'

Boris Johnson has insisted the Conservatives would reduce unskilled immigration into Britain, saying current rates were 'very high'.

The Prime Minister said he was 'a pro-immigration politician' in a BBC interview but claimed that changes would be made if he won the election and went through with Brexit.

Labour's shadow secretary Diane Abbott admitted the party will 'extend' freedom of movement rights if it wins the election as a furious civil war broke out over its immigration policy.

Boris Johnson, pictured outside his General Election campaign trail bus in Manchester, has insisted the Conservatives would reduce unskilled immigration into Britain, saying current rates were 'very high'

The senior Corbyn ally made the admission on Twitter after a trade union kingpin had warned that such a plan could cost it seats in its working class heartlands.

Another shadow minister had earlier refused to say whether Labour would keep or scrap freedom of movement if it took power.

Laura Pidcock, seen as a potential future party leader, branded immigration targets 'arbitrary' and said concerns were a 'false flag' - a deliberate attempt to deceive people.

Priti Patel vows the Conservatives will reduce 'immigration overall' with a points-based system Home Secretary Priti Patel has vowed the Tories will 'reduce immigration' and warned numbers would 'surge' if Jeremy Corbyn became PM. The Conservatives said analysis of new research into Labour's proposals for open borders suggests net migration 'could increase to 840,000 per year.' They said the analysis, described as 'fake news' by Labour, was based on official figures and the Government's own methodology. But Labour branded it the latest from the Tory Party's 'make-believe research department'. Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'Under Corbyn's Labour, immigration would surge and put huge strain on schools and our NHS. 'Jeremy Corbyn has no credible plan for how to deal with the consequences of his open borders policy. 'The biggest risk to our NHS is Corbyn's plans for uncontrolled and unlimited immigration, forever.' Advertisement

Unite leader Len McCluskey, another close ally of Mr Corbyn, had earlier said the party's official policy of keeping open borders was 'not a sensible approach'.

The Liberal Democrats have challenged Mr Corbyn to make a clear manifesto commitment on immigration, and said it will be a 'betrayal of future generations' if he fails to do so.

The party has called on the Labour leader to commit to preserving free movement, while also calling on Boris Johnson to immediately guarantee the rights of children from the EU living in the UK.

The Lib Dems have proposed plans to resettle 10,000 unaccompanied refugee children a year.

Immigration has re-emerged as a key election battleground, and will likely be among the key discussions at Saturday's Clause Five meeting where the shadow cabinet, trade unions, affiliated organisations and the national policy forum will finalise Labour's policies for the election.

Fuller plans are to be set out, but Mr Corbyn has committed to a 'fair immigration process' which could include looking at whether freedom of movement will continue in the event of the UK leaving the EU.

He accused the Tories of fabricating figures - after it was claimed immigration levels would 'surge' under a Labour government.

The Conservatives had claimed net migration under Labour 'could increase to 840,000 per year', with Home Secretary Priti Patel saying 'immigration would surge' after the party carried out analysis of its opposition's supposed proposals for open borders.

On Thursday, Mr Johnson appeared to row back from a promise to cut immigration if the Tories are returned power.

He said the Conservatives' promised points-based immigration system 'may' mean the numbers come down 'in some sectors'.

Earlier, however, Ms Patel said a Tory government would 'reduce immigration overall'.

The Lib Dems said they will scrap the Conservatives' hostile environment policy, invest in officers, training and technology to prevent illegal entry at Britain's borders, assist seekers of sanctuary and combat human trafficking and the smuggling of people, weapons, drugs and wildlife.

The party said it will make detention an absolute last resort, with a 28-day time limit, and resettle 10,000 vulnerable refugees each year and a further 10,000 unaccompanied refugee children from elsewhere in Europe over the next 10 years.

The Lib Dems have proposed plans to resettle 10,000 unaccompanied refugee children a year (Jo Swinson pictured in Cardiff, November 12)

Lib Dem shadow home secretary Christine Jardine said: 'The Liberal Democrats have a clear plan to stop Brexit, save free movement and fix our broken immigration system.

'Millions of us have taken advantage of free movement to live, love and work abroad.

'But young people are being robbed of this right by a disastrous Tory and Labour-backed Brexit that most of them didn't even vote for.

'Boris Johnson must immediately guarantee the rights of thousands of children from the EU whose lives are being thrown into unbearable uncertainty.

'Jeremy Corbyn must make a cast-iron commitment in Labour's manifesto to preserve free movement.

'Failure to do so would be a betrayal of future generations and of the millions of voters across the country who want their right to free movement defended.'