Number of migrants to UK is three times May’s target

THE number of migrants coming to the UK rose to almost 300,000 in the first full year since the Brexit referendum, nearly three times higher than Theresa May’s target.

Net migration – the difference between those arriving and those leaving the UK – rose by 33,000 to 282,000.

The rise was driven by an increase in the number coming from outside the EU, which is now at its highest level for 13 years.

The overall net figure is almost three times Theresa May’s target, which is to reduce net migration to under 100,000.

It comes as the Prime Minister is under mounting pressure from her Cabinet, including Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, to abandon the target.

The official figures also showed that net migration from the EU fell to 101,000 in the year to the end of December 2017, the lowest level for five years. The number of EU citizens leaving the European Union rose to a record 139,000 over the same period.

However the Office for National Statistics suggested that “Brexodus” is not happening as the figures are not “statistically significant”, and highlighted the fact that many more EU citizens are coming to the UK than leaving.

Caroline Nokes, the immigration minister, acknowledged that “more needs to be done” to bring net migration down to the Government’s target of under 100,000 a year.

Nicola White, of the ONS’S migration statistics division, said: “Net migration fell following record levels in 2015 and early 2016 and has been broadly stable.”