Tory MPs Urge Immediate Action in Response to ONS Report on Record Net Migration
Suella Braverman once again criticised the government for its approach as Tories lash out, while Labour’ Sir Keir Starmer called the figures ‘shockingly high.’
Tory MPs have demanded that the prime minister act after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) updated its figures to record an estimated net migration of 745,000 in 2022.
The figures reflect a surge in England and Wales’s population by an estimated 1 percent, the fastest rate in 60 years, propelled largely by international migration.
Net migration, the stark difference between arrivals and departures, has been a topic of concern, with number for the year to June 2023 standing at an estimated 672,000, according to the latest figures, also released today by the ONS.
This sharp increase follows a pattern of fluctuating migration levels, standing at a mere 93,000 in the year to December 2020 during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, soaring to 466,000 in the year to December 2021, and reaching the recent high of 745,000 in the year to December 2022.
Ms. Braverman, joining a chorus of disapproval, deemed the pressure on public services as unsustainable. Speaking via social media, she underscored the need for immediate action, pointing out that the current figures contradict the Conservatives’ electoral pledge to control and reduce net migration.
Net migration remains far too high. That’s why we are taking action to bring it down. That is what the British public expect.
That’s why in May we announced the toughest-ever action to reduce migration. That includes clamping down on the roughly 150,000 dependents of students who come into the UK every year and introducing an additional immigration health surcharge and raising visa costs.
We know this is predicted to lead to significant reductions. As we’ve seen today, the ONS figures show migration is now reducing year on year, but we believe there is much more to do.
Where the system is being abused, we will leave no stone unturned in rooting that out so companies and individuals cannot exploit our system.
