UK population hits record high of 65.6 million
BRITAIN’S open-door immigration policy has seen the population swell to its largest ever total – 65.6 million people – and it is predicted to rise to 74 million by 2039.
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that net migration, alongside more births than deaths, means Britain’s population remains on an alarming upward curve.
Net migration – the difference between the number arriving and leaving – on average has seen the UK population growing by around quarter of a million people each year since 2004.
With more arriving on our shores and people generally living longer, the picture is not likely to change during the next 20 years, the report predicts. An ONS spokesman said: “The population in 2016 was at its largest ever, at 65.6 million, and is projected to reach 74 million by 2039.
“Natural change has seen an increase in the population but the main driver of the growing population, particularly since the 1990s, can be attributed to net migration.
“The direct effect of net migration has increased the population by more than 251,000 people on average per year from 2004 to 2016. This is an average of 52,000 more people per year than natural change for the same period.”
Critics said the figures showed action needed to be taken immediately. Lord Green, chairman of MigrationWatch UK, said: “Our country is getting ever more overcrowded.
“With three-quarters of our population increase due to immigration, the Government must get the numbers down and soon. The public are getting tired of excuses.”
Ukip MEP Bill Etheridge said: “Margaret Thatcher famously warned of the UK being at risk of being swamped by migrants. Now, decades later, these figures show the reality of that prediction.
“The culture and nature of our nation and society is being changed for ever.
“Whilst I do not blame migrants for wishing to come here, I hold successive governments accountable for the potential destruction of the British way of life and Tony Blair personally guilty for deliberately seeking to change our country for ever.
“There must be immediate action to clamp down on immigration and the failed experiment of multi-culturalism must be abandoned in favour of a really United Kingdom with all feeling the benefits of our freedoms and liberal values.”
Alanna Thomas, executive director of MigrationWatch UK, said: “Net migration at its present level will mean the population growing by more than 10 million in the next 20 years and three-quarters will be due to the direct and indirect effects of immigration.” The ONS report also revealed that Britain now has an ageing population, with 18 per cent of people over 65.
The ONS report concluded: “While it (the population) is growing, improvements in health care and lifestyles mean the population is getting older.
“In 2016 in the UK 18 per cent of people were aged 65 and over and 2.4 per cent were aged 85 and over.”
In response to the ageing population, the Government announced earlier this week that six million people between the ages of 39 and 47 will have to wait a year longer to get their state pension – at 68.
THE UK population is at a record high according to the latest figures with mass immigration still rampant. Earlier this week it was also revealed that more than a quarter of new babies born here are to foreign mothers.
If a Brexit transition agreement does end up meaning EU free movement continues for years to come it is difficult to see when this trend might be reversed.
We simply cannot cope with the number of new arrivals. These statistics must serve as a wake-up call. The Government has to get a grip.