Ukip MEP: Immigration pledge would attract non-white Brexit votes

Anti-EU leaders can reach ethnic minority voters by promising a fairer immigration system that favours arrivals from the Commonwealth over Europeans, Ukip's migration spokesman is to claim.

Steven Woolf, who is of mixed race, will say non-white voters have been the "losers" in the present system and would back "Brexit" in large numbers if they were promised reforms by the "leave campaign".

The MEP, who has a black American grandfather, Jewish grandmother and an Irish grandfather, will unveil the pitch in a speech to the British Future think-tank.

He will say: "The black mixed ethnic community in Britain want a fair, sensible and compassionate migration policy - and only if we leave the EU will we get it.

"The Leave campaign must place this message at the heart of the referendum debate.

"If our campaign paints a positive and rational picture of what our border policy will be outside of the EU, we can win over the moderate majority of the black mixed ethnic community for which I am a member.

"The British black, mixed and ethnic community have a crucial role to play in our quest to reclaim our independence - and they will vote leave in their thousands if they believe they are voting for an outward looking, prosperous and secure future."

He will say the present system "hasn't been working for their children and grandchildren and it hasn't been working for their extended families abroad wanting to visit, study or enjoy the Britain that Commonwealth families have made their home.

"EU freedom of movement has led to unsustainable levels of European migration to Britain. A major consequence is that in trying to reduce net migration, the Government has discriminated against citizens outside of the EU.

"The losers have been mixed race communities in the UK, the Commonwealth and our trading partners in the East and West."