Jeremy Corbyn branded 'out of touch' as shadow immigration job remains vacant

Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of being "out of touch" with working people after it emerged the Labour leader has failed to fill a key post in his top team.

The shadow immigration minister role has remained empty since Sir Keir Starmer quit Labour's front bench in June over Corbyn's EU referendum performance.

Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions, has since returned to the shadow cabinet as Shadow Brexit Secretary, while Diane Abbott succeeded Andy Burnham as Shadow Home Secretary.

IBTimes UK repeatedly asked Corbyn's office and Labour if the left-winger intends to fill the position. But a spokesman only went as far to say that Abbott covers the immigration issue.

"We know Jeremy Corbyn wants open borders and is "not concerned" about the numbers of people coming to the UK despite the vote on June 23," a Conservative spokesperson said.

"Now we learn he won't even appoint a Shadow Immigration Minister.

"It is clear that Labour are totally out of touch with working people, and Corbyn presides over a Labour Party that are too incompetent and divided to build a country that works for everyone."

The immigration topic dominated the EU referendum campaign and the latest Ipsos MORI concerns index, of more than 900 people between 30 September and 19 October, put the issue top alongside health and the NHS.

Corbyn has assumed a pro-immigration stance and promised to re-introduce a migration impact fund, which would see Whitehall distribute money to areas where high levels of immigration put a strain on public services such as schools and hospitals.

The programme was first introduced by Gordon Brown's Labour government in 2009 and later scrapped by the Coalition Government.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd has recommitted the government to David Cameron's controversial "tens of thousands" migration target pledge.

The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed net migration to the UK had fallen slightly to 327,000 in the year to March 2016, down 9,000 compared to the same period the year before.

The issue is expected to be a major part of the government's negotiations with the EU once Article 50, the official mechanism to split from Brussels, is triggered.

EU chiefs, such as European Council President Donald Tusk, have ruled out giving the UK "single market a la carte" – extensive access to the bloc's market alongside immigration curbs.

UPDATE 14:44 (16 November 2016)

A spokesperson for Abbott contacted IBTimes UK after this article was published to explain that the shadow home secretary is in charge of the immigration brief for Labour and that the party does not have an intention to appoint a shadow immigration minister.

"The post has never been vacant. Diane had decided that she would be taking on the immigration spokesman role within the shadow Home Office team," the spokesperson said.