No piece of Labour merchandise has divided opinion more sharply than the mug pledging “controls on immigration”. Diane Abbott described it as “shameful”, adding that “the real problem is that immigration controls are one of our five pledges at all”.
When questioned on the subject yesterday, shadow cabinet ministers made little attempt to disguise their distaste. Chuka Umunna said: “I don’t wish to be photographed with any mug at all. I have been really clear about this we have got to have a sensible debate about immigration – that is what Ed has sought to do all along.” Asked by the Telegraph whether he would buy one, he replied: “I am not going to be buying any mugs. I am going to be on the campaign trail in all the different parts of our country winning support for Labour. Now I have got to go.” Sadiq Khan went even further, warning that the mug’s message could be “misconstrued”. The shadow justice secretary and likely London mayoral candidate said: “I personally would not buy the mug, I think it can be misconstrued. Let me explain why. What we can’t do is use immigration as a proxy for issues others have used in previous elections… and I’m not suggesting anyone was doing that.” Another frontbencher, Shabana Mahmood, told the Daily Politics: “It doesn’t sound like a mug that I would be buying”.
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