He may be uneasy with May's 'hostile environment', but Javid sticks to party line on net migration target

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy In his first major interview since becoming home secretary, Sajid Javid underlined his desire to be his own man and to emerge from the shadow of Theresa May’s six years at the Home Office, from which his predecessor Amber Rudd never really escaped. Mr Javid told BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show that Ms May’s “hostile environment” strategy towards illegal immigration would be replaced by a “compliant environment” one; a recognition that the climate contributed to the Windrush scandal, which he described as his most urgent priority. Unfortunately, Mr Javid felt unable to part company with the prime minister when he was asked about her discredited and arbitrary target to reduce annual net migration below 100,000. When pressed about his personal commitment to the target, he insisted the Tories were “happy” with their manifesto at last year’s general election, which said the party’s “objective” is to reduce annual net migration to “the tens of thousands”.