Tories have yet to tackle immigration
anger at mass immigration that drove the referendum result does not end up being ignored. This week’s official migration data showed how far the Government remains from reaching the target set by David Cameron nearly a decade ago of reducing the annual influx below 100,000.
For all the headlines about record numbers of EU citizens returning home since the Brexit vote the figures still showed that 90,000 more came to the UK from other EU nations than left in the year to last September. Overall net migration stood at 244,000 for the 12-month period, equivalent to adding a city the size of Swansea to the population.
DETAILS of the Brexit negotiations with Brussels, focused on transition and customs, have become arcane for many voters. The one thing that is obvious is the lack of progress on tackling the annual influx, which has been at the heart of popular anger against the Westminster establishment ever since Tony Blair threw open the country’s borders to free movement from Eastern Europe in 2004. Any attempt to put off action risks breeding a renewed voter revolt.
If there is one single issue that could fuel the accusation that the Brexit dream has been betrayed it is that of immigration. While the Home Office dithers some wiser Cabinet ministers are beginning to sound the alarm. Mrs May – who as home secretary warned about the threat to social cohesion posed by mass migration urgently needs to confront the ministerial dispute. It might be time to start planning a few more Cabinet awaydays.