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There was confusion tonight as one of Theresa May's top ministers appeared to undermine her own pledges on the Tories' net migration target.

Brexit Secretary David Davis' remarks on BBC Question Time could prove embarrassing for the Prime Minister - and leave the flagship policy in chaos.

Earlier today, Mrs May told the Mirror she was "working for" meeting her target of cutting net migration below 100,000 a year before 2022.

It was the first time a deadline had been put on the target, which has never been met since it was created in 2010.

One of her ministers, Brandon Lewis, went even further confirming: "We will deliver it over the course of the next parliament."

But tonight Mr Davis declared the Tories actually "can't promise" it will be hit by 2022 at all.

(Image: BBC)

Asked if the target would be met within the next parliament, David Davis told BBC Question Time: "That wasn't actually in the manifesto, it was 'we will bring it down', we didn't say, we didn't put a date.

"We would like to do it in the parliament but I think, you know, it will be dictated by a number of things.

"The economy, the speed with which we can get our own people trained up to take the jobs, the changes in the welfare to encourage people to work.

"A whole series of things which were designed to ensure this is an economically successful policy."

(Image: Getty)

Asked to clarify if it was Tory party policy, if re-elected, to bring migration down below 100,000 within five years, he replied: "The aim, yes, but we can't promise within five years, that's the point."

Annual net migration to the UK – the difference between people coming to Britain and those leaving – is running at 248,000, according to latest figures.

Former Chancellor George Osborne last week challenged the PM to explain how she would meet the migration pledge.

The Evening Standard newspaper, edited by Mr Osborne, denounced The Conservatives’ pledge to get annual net migration below 100,000 as “politically rash and economically illiterate”.