BRITAIN is buckling under the pressure of a fresh wave of migration from Europe.
Latest figures show a 27 percent increase in migration from EU countries - but can Britain cope? [GETTY]The number of immigrants arriving here from the EU surged by 27 per cent last year, according to official figures released yesterday.
A total of 201,000 EU citizens arrived in the UK, compared with 158,000 the previous year. The Office for National Statistics said the “significant increase” had been fuelled by the number of people coming here to look for work.
The figures were a major blow for David Cameron on the day of the European elections and led to renewed support for the Daily Express crusade to get Britain out of the European Union and regain control of our borders from Brussels.
Unless Britain leaves the EU the Government will continue to have no say on the hundreds of thousands of migrants entering the UK
Net immigration is running at more than twice Mr Cameron’s target of cutting it to the “tens of thousands”.
In 2013 a total of 526,000 people moved to the UK and 314,000 left, giving a net figure of 212,000. This is up from 177,000 in 2012. Alan Murad, of the Better Off Out campaign, warned: “These figures demonstrate that while we remain in the EU we are completely powerless to control immigration to Britain.
“Unless Britain leaves the EU the Government will continue to have no say on the hundreds of thousands of migrants entering the UK from EU countries every year.
“This is putting enormous pressure on our public services, presents a real threat to British jobs and is a major risk to our economic recovery.”
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migration Watch UK, said the figures showed the Government had been “blown off course”.
He added that the number of Romanians and Bulgarians expected to come to Britain over the next five years was on target to hit 250,000.
Conservative leader David Cameron speaks about migration at Heathrow airport [GETTY]The issue of immigration has dominated campaigning in the European elections, with Ukip seeking to capitalise on public anger. Party leader Nigel Farage said yesterday: “David Cameron has broken his solemn promise to the British people on one of the most important political issues and he has done so because he refuses to take back control of our borders in respect of more than 400million people from more than two dozen countries on continental Europe.”
According to the ONS, the total number of people arriving in the UK was up five per cent, with 43,000 more EU and 11,000 fewer non-EU citizens arriving. Among those coming from Europe, 125,000 came to find work, up from 95,000 in 2012.
There was also a dramatic 150 per cent rise in the number of people from Romania and Bulgaria moving to the UK, even before work restrictions were lifted on January 1 this year. A total of 23,000 people travelled from the two countries in 2013, up from just 9,000 the previous year.
The largest increases in new registrations for National Insurance numbers, which are necessary to work or claim benefits, were also among citizens of Romania – up 29,000 to 47,000.
Other large increases were among people from Poland (up 11,000 to 102,000), Italy (up 9,000 to 42,000) and Bulgaria (up 7,000 to 18,000).
Some 70 per cent of people from Romania and Bulgaria arrived for work-related reasons.
Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said: “Controlling EU migration is impossible without reform. It is clear that the Government’s aim is unrealistic and unachievable. The Government should drop its target now.”
COMMENT
By James Brokenshire - Immigration MinisterIt is no surprise that people want to come and live in Britain. Our vibrant culture, exciting cities and growing economy make it an attractive place for people from around the world.
But when it is uncontrolled, mass immigration makes it difficult to maintain social cohesion, puts pressure on public services and forces down wages for people on low incomes.
The measures we have put in place since 2010 are restoring control to the broken system we inherited. And the latest statistics show we have cut net migration by a third since 2005, when it stood at more than 300,000.
We have been successful in cutting immigration where we have full control – numbers from outside the EU are at levels not seen since the late 1990s.
We all know that our ability to control immigration from within the EU is limited by Freedom of Movement rules.
We are focusing on cutting out the abuse of free movement. It is a difficult task and we can’t repair the mistakes of a decade overnight. But the work is well under way and I am determined to see it through.
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