Latest news with #UKmigration
Telegraph
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Minister refuses to say if Channel migrant crossings will fall by 2026
A senior Cabinet minister has indicated that the Government may not bring down the number of Channel migrant crossings from their record high by next year. Asked if the numbers would be down by this time next year, Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, told LBC: 'I'm not going to make a prediction.' Asked again for an assurance that the numbers will reduce, he added: 'I can give you an assurance that the numbers at the moment are too high. We are working together to tackle this.' His comments came as the number of crossings so far this year passed 20,000, setting a new record high for the first six months of a year. Some 19,982 migrants had arrived in the UK after making the dangerous crossing by the end of June, the latest Home Office figures show. Several hundred more arrived on Tuesday, taking the total past 20,000. The total is 48 per cent higher than the figure for the first six months of 2024, which was 13,489, and 75 per cent above the equivalent figure for 2023, which was 11,433. Some 879 migrants made the journey in 13 boats on Monday, the third highest number of arrivals on a single day so far this year. Mr McFadden acknowledged that the Government was 'going to have to work harder to bring the numbers down'. He added: 'Everyone in Government knows it's a big challenge, and as a team we are determined to meet it.' The Tories seized on his comments. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: 'Pat McFadden has finally admitted what's been clear to the public for months – Keir Starmer has lost control of our borders. 'Over 20,000 illegal crossings so far this year and tens of thousands more on the way. Now even the Prime Minister's right-hand man can't say whether the numbers will go down next year. 'This is a national security crisis and Labour are asleep at the wheel completely distracted by the crisis made in Downing Street.' The row comes ahead of a Anglo-French summit on July 8 to 10 to agree a number of measures designed to slow the rate of Channel crossings. France has also agreed to start intercepting migrant 'taxi boats' at sea for the first time after previously refusing to do so for fear of breaching maritime safety laws. The policy change will see elite French police officers authorised to stop boats within 300 metres of shore and is expected to be confirmed at the summit. Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, the French president, are also closing in on a deal to start trialling a one-in, one-out migrant returns deal that is aimed at disrupting the business model of the people smugglers. Under the deal, France would take back migrants who have illegally crossed the Channel in small boats while the UK would accept a similar number of asylum seekers from France. Data collection on the Channel crossings began in 2018 and since then more than 170,000 people have arrived. Only about 4 per cent have been removed from the UK. Since Labour entered power nearly a year ago more than 42,000 migrants have arrived. The Prime Minister's spokesman said the numbers were 'clearly unacceptable', adding: 'Let's be clear, the rising numbers in recent years are because these gangs have been allowed to embed industrial-scale smuggling enterprises across Europe.' Enver Solomon, the chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: 'The Government is right to tackle the awful gangs that profiteer from desperate people who are simply trying to find safety. But the fact remains that these measures alone are so far not achieving the intended outcome, with deadly crossings rising. 'Most men, women and children taking these journeys are being forced to flee oppressive regimes like the Taliban and brutal civil wars in countries like Sudan. No one risks their life on a flimsy boat in the Channel unless they are running from horrors more acute than what they find on the sea. 'These rising numbers mean the Government must immediately move from enforcement-only to a multi-pronged approach, which includes international co-operation, and ensure refugees can access safe and legal pathways, in the same way Ukrainians have been able to travel to the UK without having to take a dangerous journey.'
Telegraph
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Four in ten babies born to foreign parents
Four in 10 new babies had at least one foreign-born parent last year, official figures show. A total of 40.4 per cent of live births in Britain in 2024 were to families with at least one parent not from the UK - up from 35.1 per cent in 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Foreign-born parents were responsible for more than half of births in 17 per cent of English local authority areas, up from 13 per cent in 2016, according to the data from the Office for National Statistics. In five local authority areas, foreign-born parents were involved in 80 per cent of births or more. It follows a surge in net migration when the Tories loosened the rules after Brexit. The number of people moving to Britain hit a record high of 906,000 in the year ending June 2023. Nuni Jorgensen, a researcher at Oxford University's Migration Observatory, said: 'The rise in births to migrant parents is thus largely due to more people moving to the UK. Since most new arrivals are young adults, more births to migrants are expected. 'Areas with a high share of births to foreign-born people tend to have larger migrant populations.' The five areas with the highest rates of foreign-born parents are all in London or its suburbs, topped by City of London (84.4 per cent); Brent (83.9 per cent); Newham (82.4 per cent); Harrow (82.2 per cent); Ealing (81.4 per cent); and Westminster (80 per cent). Ms Jorgensen said the increasing number of births to foreign parents reflected the younger age of migrants. According to the 2023 annual population survey, 25 per cent of women aged 25 to 34 in the UK were foreign-born. The latest ONS figures reveal that 33 per cent of births were to a foreign-born mother. Ms Jorgensen said: 'Most migrants are in their 20s and 30s—the typical age for having children. Migrant women also tend to have slightly more children, on average, but the gap is relatively small.' In London, there were only two boroughs in which the majority of births did not involve a foreign-born parent: Bexley (48.6 per cent); and Bromley (44.6 per cent). This was down from five boroughs in 2016. A total of 4.4 per cent of all live births were to Indian mothers, more than double the rate a decade ago. This was followed by Pakistan (3.6 per cent), Nigeria (2.5 per cent) and Romania (2 per cent). Academics have forecast that white British people will become a minority in the UK population within the next 40 years. An analysis of migration, birth and death rates up to the end of the 21st century predicts that white British people will decline from their current position as 73 per cent of the population to 57 per cent by 2050 before slipping into a minority by 2063. The research, by Prof Matt Goodwin of Buckingham University, suggests that by the end of the century, the white British share of the population – defined as people who do not have an immigrant parent – could have fallen to around a third (33.7 per cent). He said: 'What these figures show is the ongoing effect of mass uncontrolled immigration and rapid demographic change, a policy that nobody in this country asked for or voted for. 'The fact that more than one in three babies in England and Wales are now born to one or both parents who were born outside the UK should ring very loud alarm bells in Westminster. 'It raises profound questions about our identity, culture, way of life, and how we are going to hold our nation-state together over the longer term'.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
What do the latest migration figures show?
Net migration to the UK has fallen by a record amount for a calendar year, with the number of people emigrating from the country close to levels last seen before the Covid-19 pandemic. Here the PA news agency looks at the latest migration figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS): – What is the latest estimate of net migration? Estimated net migration to the UK stood at a provisional total of 431,000 in the year to December 2024, down 429,000 (49.9%) from 860,000 in the year to December 2023. This is the largest numerical drop on record. The previous biggest calendar-year fall was during the early stages of the pandemic, when net migration dropped from 184,000 in the year ending December 2019 to 93,000 in the year ending December 2020. Net migration is the difference between the number of people coming to live in the UK long term and the number of people leaving to live in another country. – How has migration changed in recent years? Levels of net migration to the UK have varied sharply. The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 208,000 in 2017, 276,000 in 2018 and 184,000 in 2019. It then dropped to an estimated 93,000 in 2020, when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement. The total rose steeply to 484,000 in 2021 and 873,000 in 2022, before dropping slightly to 860,000 in 2023. The 12 months to June 2023 saw net migration hit a record 906,000. The new estimate of 431,000 for the year to December 2024 suggests levels are returning to those seen in the early years of the pandemic. – Why did migration rise to record levels? Several factors were behind the recent increase. The war in Ukraine led to thousands of people from that country coming to live in the UK through the Government's resettlement schemes. A similar scheme has seen British nationals arriving in the UK from Hong Kong, fleeing the security crackdown by the Chinese government. Pent-up demand for study-related immigration due to Covid-19 travel restrictions also had an impact. There was a steep jump in the number of international students coming to the UK in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic in 2021 and 2022. A further factor has been the changes to the UK's immigration system. The post-Brexit introduction of new visas for specific kinds of employment – such as the skilled worker visa and the health and care worker visa – boosted the number of people immigrating to the UK for work. – What has caused the latest drop in net migration? It is the result of changes both in the number of people coming to the UK (immigrating) and those leaving the country (emigrating). The drop in immigration has been driven by a fall in the number of non-EU+ nationals coming to the UK to work and study. Non-EU+ nationals refers to people who are not from the European Union or from Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. There was a 49% decrease in 2024 in non-EU+ nationals arriving in the UK as the main applicant on a work visa, along with a 35% fall in those coming as work dependants. The number of non-EU+ nationals arriving as main applicants on a study visa dropped by 17%, while there was a much larger fall of 86% in study dependants. These decreases are likely to reflect changes in migration rules introduced in early 2024 by the previous Conservative government, which included restricting the ability of most international students to bring family members. Total long-term immigration in 2024 fell below one million for the first time in a calendar year since 2021, with an estimated 948,000 people coming to live in the UK in the 12 months to December, down 29% from a record 1.33 million in 2023. At the same time, long-term emigration has risen, with 517,000 people leaving the UK in 2024, up from 466,000 in 2023. This rise in emigration has been driven by an increase in those who originally came to the UK on study-related visas and who are now reaching the end of their courses. The majority (61%) of non-EU+ nationals who left the UK in 2024 had originally arrived for study-related reasons. – What nationality are the people coming to the UK? Non-EU+ nationals accounted for 81% of long-term immigration in 2024, while EU+ nationals made up 13% and British nationals 6%. This is a major change from the pattern before the UK had left the European Union and also before the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2019, non-EU+ nationals accounted for 47% of total immigration, while EU+ nationals made up 44% and British nationals 9%. There were 766,000 non-EU+ nationals who immigrated to the UK in 2024, of which 83% were of working age (between 16 and 64), 16% were children and 1% were aged 65 or over. The top five most common countries of nationality were Indian (156,000 people, down year-on-year from 277,000); Pakistani (76,000, down from 94,000); Chinese (70,000, down from 77,000); Nigerian (52,000, down from 165,000); and Ukrainian (23,000, down from 40,000).
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
UK politics live: Net migration to UK plummets by more than 400,000 in a year
Net migration to the UK halved last year to 431,000, according to estimates from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). The difference between the number of people moving to the UK and leaving the country has fallen to the lowest level since the pandemic. The figure stood at an estimated 431,000 in the year ending December 2024, down 49.9 per cent from 860,000 a year earlier, the ONS said. This is the biggest calendar-year drop since the early stages of the pandemic when net migration fell from 184,000 in the year ending December 2019 to 93,000 in the year ending December 2020. The ONS said the decline has been driven by falling numbers of people coming to work and study in the UK. The latest figures come less than a fortnight after Sir Keir Starmer said high net migration had caused 'incalculable' damage to British society, as he set out a series of measures aimed at reducing further the number of people moving long term to the UK. The prime minister, who said the country risks becoming an 'island of strangers' without better integration, said he wanted net migration to have fallen 'significantly' by the next general election – but refused to set a target number. Fall in net migration driven by drop in people coming to work and study The fall in net migration has been driven by a drop in the number of people coming to the UK to work and study, the ONS said. There was a 49% decrease in 2024 in the number of non-EU+ nationals arriving in the UK as the main applicant on a work visa, along with a 35% fall in those coming as work dependants. The number of non-EU+ nationals arriving as main applicants on a study visa dropped by 17%, while there was a much larger fall of 86% in study dependants. The drop is likely to reflect changes in migration rules introduced in early 2024 by the previous Conservative government, which included restricting the ability of most international students to bring family members. Non-EU+ nationals refers to people who are not from the European Union or from Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Jabed Ahmed22 May 2025 09:52 Breaking: Net migration halved last year Estimated net migration to the UK stood at a provisional 431,000 in the year to December 2024, down 50% from 860,000 in the year to December 2023, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is the largest numerical drop on record. The previous biggest calendar year fall was during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, when net migration dropped from 184,000 in the year ending December 2019 to 93,000 in the year ending December 2020. Net migration is the difference between the number of people coming to live in the UK long-term and the number of people leaving to live in another country. Jabed Ahmed22 May 2025 09:32 Explained | What does the sentencing review mean for prisons? My colleague Andy Gregory reports: What does government's sentencing review mean for prisons? Former Tory justice secretary David Gauke has called for overhaul of justice system in major sentencing review Jabed Ahmed22 May 2025 09:24 Jabed Ahmed22 May 2025 09:14 Watch | Worth building evidence on using chemical castration for sex offenders, says David Gauke Pressure on Chancellor after Government borrowing jumps to £20.2bn UK Government borrowing rose by more than expected to £20.2 billion last month, mounting further pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to meet her fiscal rules. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing rose to its fourth-highest April figure on record after increasing £1 billion year-on-year. The state borrowing figure reflects the difference between government spending and income, largely through tax receipts. The latest figure showed that the Chancellor had to borrow more money than expected over the month, surpassing analyst predictions of £17.6 billion. It comes as Ms Reeves seeks to meet her fiscal rule of balancing day-to-day spending with revenues by 2029-30, while improving public services and targeting accelerated economic growth. Chief secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said: 'After years of economic instability crippling the public purse, we have taken the decisions to stabilise our public finances, which has helped deliver four interest rate cuts since August, cutting the cost of borrowing for businesses and working people. 'We're fixing the NHS, with three million more appointments to bring waiting lists down, rebuilding Britain with our landmark planning reforms and strengthening our borders, delivering on the priorities of the country through our plan for change.' Jabed Ahmed22 May 2025 08:47 Review chairman: Nobody wants repeat of emergency early release scheme The lead of an independent review into sentencing which could see violent criminals and sexual offenders released from prison earlier has said 'nobody wants to see a repeat' of the emergency early release scheme. Last autumn the Government released prisoners early to combat overcrowding, in a measure which independent reviewer David Gauke described as 'rushed, unplanned and unstrategic'. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Gauke, former Conservative justice secretary, said: 'Nobody, I think, wants to see a repeat of that (early release scheme), because that is rushed, it's unplanned, it's unstrategic, and so on, and it's much better to face up to the realities, recognise where we are with the prison population and set out a plan that is strategic, that is properly prepared and gives due notice to everybody, so that we do not find ourselves in that situation. 'Because if you run out of prison places, then really you are putting the whole criminal justice system at risk.' He added that more community sentences could provide better value for money for the taxpayer. 'I think there is a point from the perspective of the taxpayer that can be missed here,' he said. 'Prisons are expensive. They cost £54,000-a-year for a prison place. That money can be spent very effectively in the community, both punishing offenders and helping with rehabilitation.' Jabed Ahmed22 May 2025 08:36 Judge blocks UK from completing Chagos Islands deal at eleventh hour A dramatic intervention last night by a senior judge threatens to throw Keir Starmer's controversial plans to sign away the Chagos Islands to Mauritius today in chaos. The plan is to sign the deal today which will give Mauritius sovereignty over the islands. It would follow months of wrangling amid concerns over the future of the UK/ US military base on Diego Garcia. But a late legal challenge from a Chagossian saw High Court judge Sir Julian Goose put a pause on the treaty being signed at 3am this morning following hours of legal wrangling. Our Political Editor David Maddox reports: Judge blocks UK from completing Chagos Islands deal at eleventh hour The prime minister planned to sign a deal handing the Chagos Islands to Mauritius today but a dramatic 3am ruling by a senior judge has put a pause on the plans Jabed Ahmed22 May 2025 08:23 Foreign offenders should be sent back to their countries, review recommends David Gauke said there are recommendations in his sentencing review to send foreign offenders back to their countries. He told Sky News: 'If a foreign national offender is sentenced to less than three years, then we argue that they should be deported, as soon as possible. 'If they've got a sentence that is more than three years, so a particularly serious offence, we can deport them but there is absolutely no guarantee unless there's a prison transfer agreement in place with another country that that offender will go into prison. They could well be then free, walking the streets.' He added: 'If we just deport them, whatever the length of their sentence, they could be walking free. And I don't think that would be fair on victims. I don't think that would be right for society as a whole. 'So you have to balance the guarantee of punishment for serious offenders with the case for getting them out of our jails as quickly as possible.' It is possible to move quickly to deport people convicted of crimes, he said, but added that you 'can't have a blanket approach where every foreign national offender is deported'. Holly Evans22 May 2025 08:15 Chemical castration considered for sex offenders to reduce re-offending The sentencing review recommends exploring chemical castration for sex offenders as a way of reducing reoffending, independent reviewer David Gauke has said. 'One of our recommendations is that we think that we should continue to explore this, this is drugs that reduces sexual desire,' Mr Gauke told Sky News. 'It's not appropriate for every sexual offender, and the evidence base for this does need to be built up.' A small pilot under way in the south west of England could be expanded, he said. 'I'm not going to claim it's the answer for everything. This is about reducing the risk of reoffending in future. There are some sex offenders who want to reduce their desires. And if we can explore this, I think that is something that's worthwhile,' he said. Asked if this would be used instead of keeping sex offenders in prison, he said: 'The point being is at some point almost every prisoner will be released. We have to look across the system at doing everything we can do to minimise the risk of reoffending. You cannot remove that risk altogether.'
The Guardian
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Net migration to UK down by half in 2024 compared with year before
Net migration to the UK is estimated to have halved from 860,000 in the year ending December 2023 to 431,000 in the year ending December 2024, the Office for National Statistics said. More details soon …
