The Conservatives will reduce “immigration overall” to the UK after Brexit if they win the general election, Home Secretary Priti Patel has said.

Senior Tory figures have so far stopped short of making such a commitment before the party’s post-Brexit immigration policy is set out.

Ms Patel made the promise as she launched an attack on what she claimed was Labour’s “open borders” policy.

Labour has yet to announce its policy.

But shadow business minister Laura Pidcock said the Conservatives had “broken every single commitment they’ve ever given” on immigration.

She also called targets to reduce immigration “arbitrary” and said the “real issue” was “exploitative bosses” bringing down wages.

Ms Patel did not spell out in detail how she planned to cut immigration. The Conservatives say they will end free movement from the EU on 1 January 2021, if they win the election and get their Brexit deal through by 31 January.