Net migration in the UK, i.e. the difference between foreign arrivals and departures, was achieved a record number of 745,000 people last year, as reported by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This figure far exceeds the previous ONS estimate of 606,000 people. The revelations are bad news for Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government, which has made reducing immigration, both legal and illegal, one of its policy priorities.
For the executive, who has committed to reducing immigration and “regaining border control” after Brexit, the record numbers represent a challenge to deliver on promises that have so far remained on paper. Apart from recording immigration in 2022, ship arrivals with irregular migrants crossing the English Channel They also experienced a significant increase last year, reaching 45,000 people. So far in 2023, 23,000 arrivals have been recorded along this dangerous route.
Facing this scenario, the government responded by tightening regulations regarding the right to asylum and strengthening cooperation with other countries, including France, to prevent the arrival of refugees. Home Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement that the government was “fully committed to doing just that reduce immigration levels legal while acting relentlessly in our priority to stop ships reaching the UK coast via the English Channel.
Labor leader Keir Starmer called the net migration figures “very high”, and said they were representative “failure not only in the field of immigration, but also in the field of asylum” as well as in “the economy”. Criticism has also come from Tory circles, who are divided between those who support tough measures and those who advocate solutions that do not address problems such as sending asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Conservative group New Conservativeon the right of the party, urged Rishi Sunak to act urgently on this issue which he said was urgent and proposed a package of measures to reduce migration, among which the executive has considered limiting the number of foreign health affected family members. and social service workers could be brought into the country or raise the minimum wage threshold for work visas and thereby eliminate a system that allows employers to pay less in the event of a shortage.
The migration data has also raised debate over the use of hotels to house asylum seekers, a practice that is increasing, according to Interior Ministry data. Labor Party Yvette Cooper criticized the high costs borne by taxpayers and said the Conservative government had failed to adequately address the situation.
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