PM’s migration target in tatters as numbers rise
EFFORTS by the government to reduce immigration are failing, as the level of net migration to the UK rises once again, back over 200,000 in the 12 months to September 2013.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that the number of people migrating to the UK rose to 532,000 in the year to the third quarter, up 35,000 from the same period a year earlier. Only 320,000 people migrated out of the UK, a drop of 23,000.
Up until last year, it looked as if the government was successfully reducing net migration, which dropped from 252,000 during 2010 to just 177,000 in 2012. However, numbers rose again during 2013.
Before the last general election, the Conservative party campaigned to cut net migration to “tens of thousands”. A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: “It’s very important that we continue to stick at this and that’s why we’re introducing new measures in the immigration bill, we are still committed to the 100,000 level, and very much keep working towards that.”
But Liberal Democrat business secretary Vince Cable disagreed with the Prime Minister: “This is further proof that any quota on migration, such as the one Conservatives are pushing to get net migration down to tens of thousands is unworkable and contradicts our aims of getting Britain back on its feet.”
There was some growth in the number of people arriving in the UK from Romania and Bulgaria during the 12-month period, with 24,000 arrivals in comparison to 9,000 during the previous year. However, the figures for migration from the countries came before January, when temporary restrictions on their EU freedom of movement were removed.