Is Labour on the brink of an immigration arms race?

As the Labour party promises 1,000 new border guards, and more benefits curbs for migrants, is it entering a race to “toughen” up on EU migrants?

By Anoosh Chakelian

(Photo By Evidence gathering: shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper at the 2013 Labour Party conference, Brighton. Photo: Getty)

This week, the shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper made a speech about immigration. She accused the Tories and Ukip of being in an “arms race of rhetoric” on the subject.

However, her speech suggested that Labour itself isn’t far from entering this contest. She called for fingerprinting of illegal immigrants, 1,000 new border control guards, and a requirement to speak English.