Watch: Diane Abbott dodges illegal immigrant questions

Amber Rudd’s resignation is something of a coup for Diane Abbott, who has spent the last week calling for the Home Secretary to go. But Abbott’s disastrous interview on Good Morning Britain might well have cut Labour’s celebrations at Rudd’s departure somewhat short. The shadow home secretary was asked repeatedly what Labour’s policy on illegal immigration is. And six times, she refused to say:

Piers Morgan: ‘…I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask the shadow home secretary, in light of this massive scandal, what Labour’s policy on illegal immigrants is. Do you think that they should be removed from the country, or should they be allowed to stay here?’ Diane Abbott: ‘We are…yes, but..what I can say to you is we are working on our immigration policy, obviously post-Brexit everyone has got to consider the immigration policy.’ Morgan: ‘I’m just going to ask one more time: should illegal immigrants be allowed to stay in the country, or should they be removed?’ Abbott: ‘All I can say to you, Piers, is anybody watching the programme this morning, will be surprised that you don’t want to talk about the immediate plight of the Windrush generation.