Migration and the free movement of people is a very contentious issue in the UK. Many would argue the driving force behind the Brexit leave vote. The debate is polarised and often distorted.
In order to facilitate a better debate we need better information. Migration Watch provide it. They are an independent and non-political think tank. They are a serious and objective organisation.
I am copy and posting information from their web site because I believe their articles bring something really valuable to the debate.
This is the three of four blogs I will be posting of Migration Watch analysis.
BLOG 3 - 10 Key Points on Mass immigration and Population Growth
Population: MW 377
- The current scale of migration to the UK, 330,000 a year, of which roughly half is from the EU, is completely unsustainable.
- As a result of this mass immigration our population is projected to rise by half a million every year – the equivalent of a city the size of Liverpool – for as long as immigration is permitted on the present scale.
- England is already twice as crowded as Germany and 3.5 times as crowded as France.
- The additional population growth makes congestion worse and adds to the pressures on public services. This comes at a time when public spending is being reduced.
- One in four children born in England and Wales is to a foreign born mother. The rise in the number of births has put pressure on NHS maternity services.
- It has also led to a shortage of school places. 60% of local authorities will have a shortage of primary school places by 2018.
- The UK has a serious housing crisis. Mass immigration is the main reason for the additional demand. If it continues at current levels, we will need to build 135,000 new homes a year just to house new migrants and their families. This is 370 per day or one home every four minutes.
- Population growth on this scale renders integration of newcomers virtually impossible.
- Three quarters of the public want to see immigration reduced and half of them want it cut by a lot.
- To stop the rapid rise in the UK’s population size, net migration would have to be reduced to well below 100,000 a year. It is currently at over 300,000.
Updated 8 June, 2016
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