Campaigners from the Labour Campaign for Free Movement have claimed victory after an anti-migrant motion was withdrawn at Labour conference.

The Border Security Command motion would have effectively endorsed many of the immigration policies of the outgoing Conservative government, committing Labour to deporting more asylum seekers, more quickly; designating more countries as “safe” in order to deport asylum seekers to them; and creating more counter-terror laws to “tackle” irregular arrivals.

The motion was vigorously opposed by the Labour Campaign for Free Movement, whose own motion was ruled out of order prior to the opening of the conference.

With a number of major unions planning to vote against the Border Security Command motion, it was withdrawn to avoid embarrassment.

Bridget Chapman, a spokesperson for the Labour Campaign for Free Movement and a Labour councillor in Folkestone, said:
“The Border Security Command motion would have called on Labour to adopt many of the worst aspects of the Tories brutal and immoral border policy.

“The withdrawal of the motion is a clear sign that the Labour leadership knew it would lose. They know that party members and trade unions do not support this agenda.

“The policy proposed in this motion has been praised by far-right parties and figures across Europe. Those who support such a policy should have the courage to put it to a democratic vote and see it defeated.

“The government cannot legitimately implement a policy which they know does not have the support of conference.

“Labour must offer an alternative to hate and border-building.  We need decent jobs, homes and public services, and a politics of working class unity.”