Davis pledges to cut immigration

Shadow home secretary David Davis has set out a raft of initiatives designed to appeal to core Tory voters, including a pledge to cut immigration.

Mr Davis said he was committed to scrapping ID cards, increasing prison places, and creating a new force to police Britain's borders.

He also warned the Prime Minister against moving further into Conservative territory, telling the Tory conference: "It's no good Gordon Brown talking like a Tory when he doesn't believe in the vision that goes with it."

Presenting the interim findings of a task force headed by the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Lord Stevens, Mr Davis said Labour had "undermined the heroism that has traditionally defined the police".

Pledging to help officers "reclaim the streets", Mr Davis declared: "It's time to bring zero-tolerance policing to the streets of Britain."

Laying into the Government's "open-door" immigration policy, he said 700,000 people had come to Britain under EU expansion when original estimates were 13,000. Mr Davis said: "I want to make it absolutely clear that immigration is a key issue for the next Conservative government."

Acknowledging the benefits of controlled immigration, he added: "We want the right people and the right number of people. So we would have an annual limit on the number of economic migrants coming here."

Mr Davis was applauded loudly by Tory activists as he confirmed plans to scrap ID cards and spend the savings on extra prison places.

A further commitment to axe the Government's "reckless" early release scheme was well-received as was a promise that immigration would be "substantially lower" under Tories.

Earlier, shadow defence secretary Liam Fox pledged that a Tory government would boost troop numbers in the British Army and improve conditions for forces personnel.

Dr Fox said the Conservatives would honour the country's side of the so-called military covenant as he launched a strongly-worded attack on Gordon Brown.

He branded the Prime Minister's treatment of the armed forces "insulting" and accused him of seeking "photo opportunities" in Iraq.

To loud applause, Dr Fox also homed in on Des Browne's dual role as Defence Secretary and Scotland Secretary.

In his keynote speech to the Tory conference, Dr Fox demanded: "What has Gordon Brown's personal contribution been?

"He has given us a part-time Defence Secretary whose attentions are focused on fighting the SNP and the Taliban. A jobshare Defence Secretary when our troops are at war in two places. What an insult to our fighting men and women."

Referring to Mr Brown's Labour conference speech, he demanded: "You Prime Minister, in your self-indulgent plagiarised, 67-minute speech, how much did you dedicate to Iraq, Afghanistan and our Armed Forces?

"126 words. 126 words. One word for every two service men or women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I hope you remember that when you are having your photo opportunities in Iraq today."

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