Jeremy Corbyn has said a Labour government would deliver a "fair" immigration policy but refused to be drawn on whether it would bring down the numbers coming into the country.
The Labour leader said that if he gained power in the General Election on June 8 he would put in place a migration policy based on the needs of society.
"Freedom of movement obviously ends when you leave the European Union because it's a condition of the membership," he told the Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday.
"I want there to be fair immigration based on the needs of our society. That is the proper way of approaching it.
"I want us to have a society that works and I cannot get into a numbers game because I don't think it works."
Mr Corbyn also defended his links with IRA associated rallies in the 1980s, saying that it had been necessary to bring about a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.
"All bombing has to be condemned and you have to bring about a peace process. In the 1980s Britain was looking for a military solution in Ireland. It clearly was never going to work," he said.
"Therefore you have to seek a peace process. You condemn the violence of those that laid bombs that killed large of numbers of innocent people and I do."
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