Mr Corbyn Clashes With MPs On Immigration

Mr Corbyn said "harmonisation of wages and working conditions" across Europe - not restricting freedom of movement - was key to winning back public confidence on immigration.

Jeremy Corbyn is heading for a new clash with Labour MPs by rejecting calls to back post-Brexit curbs on immigration.

Ahead of his end-of-conference speech in Liverpool, the Labour leader said restricting free movement could mean Britons paying the price in tit-for-tat retaliation.

In eve-of-speech TV interviews, he called for a recognition that European migrant workers make a "huge contribution to our health service, our education service and many others".

He said: "Tighter rules will also mean it is much more difficult to travel to Europe, much more difficult to take a holiday in Europe, much more difficult to study in Europe."

Instead of curbs on freedom of movement, Mr Corbyn said he wanted to bring about "a degree of equality of work conditions and wages across Europe".

Mr Corbyn's stance means he is resisting calls from Labour MPs led by former front-benchers Chuka Umunna and Rachel Reeves for a tougher stance on immigration to address voters' concerns.

The Labour leader's spokesman told Sky News: "Jeremy wants to address the consequences and causes of immigration. This contrasts with the Tories, who talk about overall numbers and miss their target."

The spokesman said Mr Corbyn was "not concerned about numbers" when it came to levels of migration into the UK, which reached a net 330,000 last year.

"It is not an objective to reduce the numbers, to reduce immigration," the spokesman added. "It is not something he has campaigned for."

Addressing immigration in his conference speech, Mr Corbyn will pledge to restore a migrant impact fund abolished by the Conservatives.

"A Labour government will not offer false promises," he will say. "We will not sow division or fan the flames of fear.

"We will instead tackle the real issues of immigration - and make the real changes that are needed.

"We will act to end the exploitation of migrant labour to undercut workers' pay and conditions.

"We will ease the pressure on hard-pressed public services - services that are struggling to absorb Tory austerity cuts, in communities absorbing new populations.

"Labour will reinstate the migrant impact fund, abolished by the Tory government.

"That will give extra support to areas of high migration. We will use the visa levy for its intended purpose. And we will add a citizenship application fee levy to boost the fund."

Reacting to Mr Corbyn's immigration plans, Home Secretary Amber Rudd MP said: "All this shows is that Jeremy Corbyn wants unlimited immigration - and presides over a Labour Party that is too divided, incompetent and distracted to lead our country.

"While Labour have lurched from one disaster to another this week, we will get on with the job of building a country that works for everyone."

Mr Corbyn will also call on his MPs to accept his leadership, end their "trench warfare" and work together against the Tories.