Why are the Tories arguing with themselves about immigration?

Two of the most rebarbative personalities to emerge from the Conservative Party in recent decades have been involved in an unseemly spat about immigration. Priti Patel – appointed home secretary by Boris Johnson and in charge of immigration and the visa system from 2019 to 2022, and never shy of a scrap – took the opportunity of an interview with Harry Cole, political editor of The Sun, to defend her record on immigration, after some weeks of implied criticism from her now leader, Kemi Badenoch.

Badenoch, who admits she can be “direct” in debate, swiftly slapped Patel down; later, presumably on Badenoch’s orders, Patel – now the shadow foreign secretary – issued an uncharacteristically humble apology. Things were also enlivened by the current shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, accusing the British people (ie the ones the Tories would like to vote for them) of lacking a work ethic. Plus, it’s the fifth anniversary of that defining Tory achievement, Brexit...

It need not have happened. Cole, as is his job, was lobbing accusations about the wave of post-Brexit immigration, echoing the criticisms Badenoch has made (albeit without naming the Tory leader); Patel, her usual proud and combative self, was giving as good as she got.

“Totally distortionary,” she countered, refusing to apologise for what had taken place on her watch. On the contrary – she said she was pleased with the “Australian-style” points-based visa system that had permitted such high volumes of perfectly legal migration. “The brightest and the best,” Patel called those who had come to the UK via this system, pointing out their contribution to health and social care. She also defended the asylum granted to Ukrainians and others.

In its way, it was all pretty routine, but for some reason Badenoch decided that now was the moment to publicly humiliate her colleague. Her spin doctor issued a statement that once again implicitly criticised Patel’s performance while in office: “While the last Conservative government may have tried to control numbers, we did not deliver.”

Then, in words that seemed to have been dictated by the leader’s office, Patel repented: “The immigration system in our country is not fit for purpose. As I said in the interview, I was not happy about the high numbers while the Conservatives were in government. Our party is now under new leadership, and it is important we learn from our mistakes and how we can do things better.”

So they both agree, then – Rishi Sunak was useless.

Overwhelmingly Badenoch’s. Had she said and done nothing, no one would have noticed Patel’s remarks, and an open split could easily have been avoided. Instead, two of the most senior figures in what’s left of the Conservative Party were seen brawling in front of an electorate that, six months ago, was so tired of their divisions and arguments, they were thrown out with unprecedented brutality.

They would appear to have learnt nothing. Whatever her strategic sense, Badenoch doesn’t seem to be good at political tactics – and, contrary to her self-image, she is something of a “van der gaffe” generator, with all the disruptive static energy that implies.

If fault there is, then it lies with Johnson, who was always less bothered about it than most of his colleagues (let alone Nigel Farage). Johnson was, after all, once a very liberal and pro-migration mayor of London – and, while he was happy to ride the resentments whipped up by Farage, he didn’t personally bang on about immigrants during the Brexit campaign (or after). It was he who took the laissez-faire attitude, and his ally, Patel, who implemented it.

The pair were also responsible for the Rwanda plan, famously called a “bats***” idea by the last Tory home secretary, James Cleverly. It’s only fair to point out, as well, that Badenoch sat through three Tory administrations – those of Johnson, Liz Truss, and Sunak – without making much fuss about migration, as did her loyal underling Philp. By contrast, Badenoch’s leadership rival Robert Jenrick did resign from government, albeit with a whiff of cynicism. He doesn’t have the answers, but he can strike the pose more easily.

First, that the Conservatives are as divided and prone to personal vendettas as ever. Second, that Badenoch hasn’t yet stamped her authority on her party, and her clumsy and arrogant attempts to do so only make things worse. Third, that the Badenoch approach of admitting “mistakes” and denouncing the last government, as opposed to defending its record, does carry significant risks. Oddly enough, that is exactly the problem that ended up destroying Ed Miliband’s leadership after the fall of the Labour government in 2010.

Meanwhile, Farage is merrily trolling Badenoch by organising a rally in her own constituency in Saffron Walden. It’s still early days, but it’s not going that well for Kemi.