The home secretary was giving her first interview since Andy Burnham re-opened the debate on EU freedom of movement.
“Once we came out of the European Union, we of course lost access to databases that were EU wide, that helped you work out a person’s movement throughout the European Union.
“It’s had a very significant impact on us and our ability to manage migration into this country,” she told our deputy political editor Sam Coates.
But, she added that she has “been in negotiations with my EU counterparts to think about how we might collaborate on migration policy, and data sharing is absolutely critical to that”.
Mahmood said Burnham was “right” to “start a national conversation” about Brexit, but added: “There will be no change in this parliament because we will abide by the manifesto we put before the British public, which said no return to free movement.”
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On her reforms to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) announced on Monday, she added that the entire cabinet is behind the reforms – despite ministers like Angela Rayner previously criticising them.
“This is the government position. There is only one government position, and that is what all government ministers are required to abide by.”
Asked whether she was uncomfortable with the over 500,000 settlements forecast for 2028, she said: “Well, I mean, that’s the legacy of the last Conservative government.”
