MIGRANT NUMBERS ROCKET
BRITAIN’S population has seen its sharpest increase in nearly 70 years, largely as a result of mass immigration.
It rose by 538,000 in the 12 months to the end of June last year – to an estimated 65.6 million.
The increase is roughly
equivalent to the population of Bradford. It is the largest rise since the 551,000 increase recorded in 1946/7, a surge caused mainly by the post-war baby boom.
The Office for National Statistics said net international migration continued to be the main driver behind the growth in population. Increasing life expectancy and a rise in the birth rate were contributing factors.
Last night the official figures triggered fresh calls for a drastic overhaul of border controls when Britain leaves the EU.
Lord Green of Deddington, chairman of the pressure group Migration Watch, said: “This record rise in our population is very largely the result of massive levels of immigration which accounted for nearly twothirds of the increase.
“We are now at a turning point. The Brexit negotiations must achieve a substantial reduction in EU migration. Failing that, we will have to build the equivalent of a city the size of Birmingham every two years for the indefinite future.
“Any such outcome will be deeply opposed by the public, since nearly three-quarters of us believe the country is already crowded.”
Tory MP Philip Hollobone said: “This is a great big flashing warning signal that we have got to get to grips with immigration.
“We must use Brexit to reduce the numbers coming into the country. Even if we shut the door now, our population is headed for 70 million. It will be even more unless we cut migration numbers.” The figures show the Government is facing a big challenge to reach Theresa May’s target of reducing annual net migration to the “tens of thousands” rather than hundreds of thousands.
The ONS figures show that natural change – the number of births minus the number of deaths – accounted for just over a third (35.8 per cent) of the overall increase.
Nearly two-thirds (62.4 per cent) was down to net migration.
England saw the fastest population growth, exceeding 55 million for the first time. London’s growth rate was more than twice that in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Neil Park, head of the Population Estimates Unit at the ONS, said: “The population of the UK continued to grow in the year to mid-2016 at a similar rate to that seen over recent years.
“Net international migration continued to be the main driver, but there was also an increase in births and fewer deaths than last year.”
The ONS said the increase was similar to the average annual growth rate seen in the UK since 2005. The rate has ranged between 0.6 and 0.8 per cent during the period.
In the 11 years between mid-2005 and mid-2016, the population of the UK increased by just over five million. The previous increase of five million took 35 years – between 1970 and 2005. Alistair Currie, head of campaigns at sustainability charity Population Matters, said: “More people means more pressure on everything, from our food to our housing and buses to butterflies.”
The statistics show the population continues to age but at a slower rate than in recent years.
Steven Cameron, pensions director at investment and life insurance firm Aegon, said: “Eighteen per cent of people are now 65 or over. Over the last decade the number of people aged between 80 and 90 has increased by almost 340,000 from 2.25 million to 2.59 million.
“While it’s great that people are living longer, the change is putting increased pressure on our pensions and social care system.
“This is an issue that political parties need to reach a consensus on and tackle quickly.”
BRITAIN’S population continues to rocket. The latest official figures reveal the sharpest year-on-year rise in nearly 70 years with mass immigration largely to blame. This newspaper’s many warnings about the dangers of Britain’s open borders, which the political class has done its best to ignore, are coming true.
It is clearer than ever that we need to win back full control over who is allowed to move here. Ours is a small island, we cannot cope with hundreds of thousands of people arriving year after year. This is placing an unsustainable burden on our public services which simply cannot keep up with exploding demand.
We must consider housing too. How long can our precious greenbelt and other areas of countryside survive when rapid population growth is putting endless pressure on the Government to open up new sites for building homes?
Theresa May has been clear about the need to win back border controls in the Brexit talks. This is vitally important and it is disappointing to see Remoaner politicians continue to advocate staying in the single market when the conditions for membership include signing up to free movement rules.
But winning back the right to control our borders is only part of the story. We also need politicians who are ready and willing to put the interests of British people first by taking serious action to restrict the number of new arrivals.
When we get back power over immigration we will have to make sure we use it.