Migration Watch UK: News

Comment by Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, on Immigration Figures

Sir Andrew said that "It is the usual government spin to claim these numbers as a success for immigration policy despite the fact that foreign immigration is virtually unchanged at about half a million a year.

What has really happened is that EU citizens have voted with their feet; the number leaving has doubled in the face of the deep recession in Britain but EU migration is something over which the government have no control whatever.

As for the government's much vaunted Points Based System, it has had very little effect so far; work permit immigration fell last year by 16,000 or roughly 3.5% of foreign immigration.

The bottom line is that the population of the UK will exceed 70 million within 25 years even at these levels of immigration."

UK's population on track for 70 million

Government’s own, new survey shows 79% of people want immigration cut

Commenting on the release today by the Office of National Statistics of data on migration, the Co-Chairmen of the Cross Party Group on Balanced Migration, Frank Field MP and Nicholas Soames MP, said: "The fall in net migration may well be temporary – as in previous recessions – but even at the present level of immigration, we are still on target for the UK’s population to exceed 70 million within 25 years. There are no laurels to rest on. The need for firm measures on immigration is unchanged. The public clearly understand this. The Government’s own survey, released today, shows 79 per cent of people want immigration reduced.

Reform of the Immigration Appeals System

This is a revised version of briefing paper 8.35, originally published in May 2009

In August 2008 the government published a paper for the purpose of consulting on reforms to the present system for hearing appeals against adverse decisions by the Home Office on asylum and immigration cases. The substance of that paper and Migration Watch comments on it are set out in Briefing Paper 8.29, issued in November 2008. An account of the workings of the present appeals system is to be found in Briefing Paper 8.2. The government has now published a response to the consultations, setting out its decision. The undated paper “Fair decisions: faster justice” was issued jointly by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) on behalf of the Home Office and by the Tribunals Service on behalf of the Ministry of Justice in May 2009…

See Full Revised Briefing Paper 8.35

World Population Trends Likely to Increase UK Immigration Levels Still further.

Even larger immigration flows into the UK than we are currently experiencing will, as a result of world population trends, be almost inevitable unless there is decisive Government action to restrict numbers, says a report out today.

The UK population is already forecast to rise to 77m by 2050 – from its current 60 million – largely as a result of immigration. This will have huge implications for housing, health, education and the quality of life.

But the burgeoning populations of developing countries around the world are likely to put even more pressure on UK borders in the future.

'Immigration is already a highly emotive issue. An opinion poll recently commissioned by the all-party Balanced Migration group showed that 7 out of 10 adults want immigration cut by over 80%’, he said.

'It is no longer good enough for politicians to sweep this issue under the carpet and try to pretend that it’s not a suitable subject for debate because, as our paper shows, things are likely to get more difficult in the future.

'It can only further undermine trust in politicians if they continue to ignore the very real concerns widely felt across the country,’ he said…

See Full Press Release