Shadow work and pensions secretary Rachel Reeves said she had not seen the document — and flatly contradicted its advice. “This is clearly something that Labour is talking to voters about, and it is our second pledge after our pledge on the deficit last week,” she told BBC radio.
Behind the scenes, party insiders were furious with Ms Powell. A senior insider said: “It is cack-handed and totally opposite to what we are actually doing. It is bloody criminal.”
The confidential briefing was sent to dozens of MPs in constituencies where Ukip threatens to rob Labour of the votes needed to return to power next year, the Telegraph said.
A Labour spokesman said: “Everyone is in total agreement that we should be — and are — campaigning on immigration.
“That’s why Ed Miliband is making his fourth major intervention on immigration today and launching the second of Labour’s election pledges on the issue ... As the document makes clear, Labour will face the issue of immigration directly with UKIP supporters.”
