Revealed: Labour MPs told not to campaign on immigration in secret Ukip strategy document
Exclusive: Document sent to Labour MPs and seen by The Telegraph suggests 'moving the conversation on' if immigration arises and advises against writing to voters on issue
Labour MPs have been secretly ordered not to campaign on immigration because doing so could cost them the next election, the Telegraph can reveal.
A private strategy document circulated by Labour HQ and seen by this newspaper warns that the bigger immigration becomes as a campaign issue the more votes the party will lose.
MPs are told to focus on "moving the conversation on" if voters express concerns about border controls to topics Labour is stronger on such as healthcare or housing.
They are also urged not to send leaflets on immigration to all voters because it could be "unhelpful" and "risks undermining the broad coalition of support we need to return to government".
The revelations are a major embarrassment for Ed Miliband, who is expected to tell voters Labour understands their immigration concerns and harden the party's stance on cheap foreign workers in a major speech on Monday. ...