Jeremy Corbyn tells ITV Tonight: Freedom of movement will end with Brexit

Jeremy Corbyn has admitted for the first time that the free movement of citizens between the UK and the European Union would end with Brexit.

In an exclusive interview for ITV’s Tonight programme, the Labour leader told Julie Etchingham there would be "fair" and "managed migration" if he becomes Prime Minister, but refused to put a figure on potential immigration levels after Britain withdraws from the EU.

The interview, which airs in Tonight: The Leader Interviews - Jeremy Corbyn on ITV at 8pm on Monday goes in depth with Mr Corbyn on a range of issues - including his personal life, his stance on Trident, Labour’s local election results, his pay, the future of the party, and even his beard.

  • Corbyn on post-Brexit immigration

When asked about what controls on immigration Labour would bring in, he said: “There would be fair immigration, obviously the free movement is intrinsic as membership of the EU so that is going to become a different issue in... whenever the final departure takes place, say in 2019.”

“There would be immigration, there would emigration... because we have skill needs and skill shortages, there are family reunion issues.

“I’m not going to put any figures on it (the number of people coming to the UK), Theresa May has done that for, this is now the third General Election she’s promised figures none of which she’s come anywhere near to achieving.

“Clearly the free movement ends when we leave the European Union but, there will be managed migration and it will be fair.”

  • Corbyn on nuclear weapons

Vanguard Class Submarine HMS Victorious on patrol off the west coast of Scotland. Credit: PA

Mr Corbyn, who has campaigned against nuclear weapons throughout his career, leads a party which supports the retention of the deterrent, an uneasy situation which has caused tension within Labour ranks.

Asked if he would review Trident if he was in Number 10, Mr Corbyn said: "There will be a strategic defence review as all governments have done when they come in to office which will look at all aspects of our defence strategy."

Confirming that review would include Trident, he said: "Nuclear will be included in that. The bigger threats we face are actually, I think, cyber-attacks and... irrational acts of terrorism."

  • Corbyn on whether he considers himself a wealthy man

The Labour leader reflected on a "wonderful" and "very liberal" upbringing in Shropshire but revealed his discomfort at attending a private prep school and then a grammar.

He said he didn't like his grammar school "because of its selectivity" and "aspects of implicit privilege that all the boys that went there were taught".

Despite earning a salary of more than £138,000, Mr Corbyn insisted he is not wealthy because of "where I put the money", although he refused to elaborate on that.

"I consider myself adequately paid, very adequately paid for what I do. What I do with it is a different matter," he said.

"I consider myself well paid for what I do and I am wanting to say to everyone who’s well off, make your contribution to our society."

When pressed on whether he considers himself wealthy, he said: “No, I’m not wealthy because of where I put the money, but I’m not going into that.”

  • Did he have ambitions to be Prime Minister as a young man?

Mr Corbyn sidestepped questions about whether he would quit if he led Labour to electoral defeat, and when asked if he dreamed of becoming Prime Minister as a young man, Mr Corbyn replied: "No".

Of the prospect of becoming Prime Minister at next month's General Election, he said: "Exciting, because of what a different government could do about poverty, injustice and inequality, and the contribution we could make."

Is he worried that this election could be the death of the Labour Party?

“The Labour Party has its largest membership ever since I became the leader of this party," said Mr Corbyn.

"It’s active in every single part of the country. We’ve had the most unbelievable torrents of media attacks on individuals and a failure to engage in the policy debate.

"This country cannot go on with its levels of inequality, you have to challenge the austerity programme. That is exactly what we are doing.”