Prime Minister Theresa May says her government will reduce net immigration to below 100,000 if it wins Britain's June 8 election, reaffirming a promise the Conservatives have made and broken since 2010.

The promise is in the Conservatives' election platform, published Thursday.

Many Britons who voted last year to leave the European Union were motivated by a desire to control immigration, which has soared as the EU has expanded. EU citizens have the right to live and work in other member states.

Net migration to Britain was 273,000 in the year to September.

The Conservatives give no date to reach the goal.

After Brexit, Britain will have more power to limit those moving to the country. But many economists say the "tens of thousands" target is arbitrary and economically damaging.