Immigration surge betrays Brexit, say red wall MPS

PRITI PATEL has been warned over the “drastic increase” in net immigration as red wall MPS say this “undeniably undermines” Brexit promises.

In a letter to the Home Secretary, more than 24 Tory politicians sounded the alarm over data suggesting that the figure for this year “could be higher than any in recent history”.

The MPS highlighted figures that show that work visas are up 25 per cent to 239,987, family visas are up 49 per cent to 280,776 and student visas are up 52 per cent to 432, 729.

They said: “Of course, there are exceptional circumstances regarding Ukraine and Hong Kong, but the reality of such a drastic increase undeniably undermines our promise to reduce immigration numbers.

“Mass immigration only pays lip service to the concept of ‘control’. True control balances any need for highskilled immigration with building a sustainable domestic workforce and the consequences on societal cohesion, housing and job markets, wage suppression and pressure on public services.”

The letter, organised by Sir John Hayes who chairs the influential Common Sense Group, has several red wall Tory MPS among its signatories.

Lee Anderson, for Ashfield, Nick Fletcher, for Don Valley, and Marco Longhi, for Dudley North, have all signed alongside fellow 2019-intake colleagues representing Leigh, Stoke-ontrent North and Stockton South.

Signatories also include David Jones, the former Brexit minister, and Bob Blackman, joint secretary of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers.

They praised the Rwanda deal as “exactly the kind of radical, but rational and proportionate, policy that will get to grips with our dysfunctional asylum system”. The MPS told the Home Secretary they “fully support” this policy, adding “control of this kind is essential”.

But they pointed out that Brexit was a “resounding declaration from the British people that they wanted to take back control” of immigration.

The group of MPS concluded by saying that the British people understand the “dire consequences” that will ensue when immigration gets out of control.

“It is our duty to do right by the promise we made to them,” they said.