LABOUR has not said its “last word” on the devolution of immigration and is open to rethinking its position, the party’s leadership has said.
Scottish leader Richard Leonard insisted there needed to be a “mature discussion” on the issue in light of the impact of Brexit.
It comes after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon renewed calls for immigration to be devolved to the UK’s nations and regions after it leaves the European Union.
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Mr Leonard and UK leader Jeremy Corbyn were visiting a church in Glasgow to speak to asylum seekers facing eviction from their homes.
Mr Leonard said: “I think there are issues thrown up by the devolution of immigration policy, around where would you need borders and so on.
“I think we need to have a mature discussion about how we tackle any regional or Labour market issues, not least post-Brexit.
“So I think there is a debate to be had, and there have been some interesting think tank reports looking at that case.
“But I think there are disadvantages as well as advantages to it. I just don’t think it’s as straightforward as the SNP have made it out to be.”
He added: “I don’t think we’ve said our last word on it. I think it’s something we would keep under consideration, as I say, not least in the light of Brexit.
“As things stand, we are not as a Labour Party, or a Scottish Labour Party, in favour of the devolution of immigration.”
Mr Corbyn said his team “discuss these things all the time with our colleagues in the Scottish Parliament”, but refused to make any commitments.
He said: “I’m open to the idea that we look very carefully at the administration, the housing issues, the support issues, the education issues.
“I’m open to that discussion, and we will certainly be having that discussion, both with Scottish Labour and with Welsh Labour on these issues.
“But I cannot and will not make any commitment today on that.
“I want us to have an asylum policy that works in a humane, decent and effective way. At the moment we don’t have that at all – we have a hostile environment which is so damaging to people’s lives.”
Mr Corbyn and Mr Leonard made the comments as they visited asylum seekers threatened with eviction by private housing provider Serco.
They called for those fleeing persecution to be housed by public bodies instead of the private sector – and branded the treatment of refugees “appalling”.
Among those they spoke to were Areeb Umeed Bakhsh, 13, and his brother Somer, 15, who are facing being deported to Pakistan.
They fled the country after their father Maqsood was subjected to death threats due to his Christian faith.
Earlier this year, Ms Sturgeon said it was time to follow the lead of some federalised nations and scrap the “one size fits all” approach to immigration.
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