David Cameron defends Theresa May's 'good' speech on immigration
The Prime Minister has defended his Home Secretary after her speech on immigration to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester came under fire.
Speaking to ITV News Political Editor Tom Bradby, David Cameron defended Theresa May's address as a "good, thoughtful speech" on how the Conservatives aim to control immigration.
Almost immediately after she made the speech, business leaders hit back at May's "irresponsible rhetoric".
Mr Cameron was also pressed about research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that reasonable net migration can have a positive benefit - thus meaning Mrs May's speech wasn't entirely accurate.
Cameron said: "I read the speech, I think it's a good speech; I think it's right that we control immigration; it's right that we accept we haven't done enough to control immigration but we do it on the basis of believing that this multi-ethnic, multi-faith, multi-racial democracy we built here in Britain is a real model for the world."
Cameron also said that upcoming changes to the benefits system are "necessary to stop us having an unnecessary draw of people" to Britain
The Conservative Party leader was also pressed about what the Government was doing about Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, a young Saudi Arabian pro-democracy activist who is due to be beheaded and executed by Britain's main ally in the Middle East.
"This has been raised with the Saudis ... we totally disapprove of of what they do in terms of the death penalty which we object to in every country," he said.
"We do not support the death penalty anywhere or in any circumstances and in Saudi Arabia the use of the death penalty, which is so extensive, and these other means, and we object to it very strongly."