Migration figures expected to shatter Cameron’s ‘tens of thousands’ pledge
This article leads me to reflect on the need to think about the contribution to society of migrant workers not just their numbers. In Eastern England they underpin the viability of the food sector. This article tells us just in terms of the numbers issue:
Net migration to Britain is now higher than it was when David Cameron took office despite his “no ifs, not buts” promise to cut it to “tens of thousands” by this May’s general election, new official figures are expected to show on Thursday.
The last set of quarterly migration figures before the general election are now widely expected to show that Cameron and the home secretary, Theresa May, have spectacularly missed their politically sensitive target to reduce net migration below 100,000 by this May.
The figures to be published on Thursday are now expected to show that it has actually risen above its original level of 244,000 when they took office in May 2010 and promised to cut it by more than 60%.
The previous set of quarterly figures published in November by the Office for National Statistics figures put net migration to Britain in the previous 12 months at 260,000 – the highest level since the last general election.
The net migration figure represents the flow of people coming to live in Britain for more than 12 months minus the flow of people leaving Britain to live abroad for more than 12 months.