Net migration levels to Britain hit a new record high of 336,000 a year, making a mockery of David Cameron’s promise to reduce the figure below 100,000.
Numbers arriving from outside the European Union – which Britain can control – and from within the EU are both climbing steadily, contributing to a rise of 82,000 over the year.
The figures from the Office for National Statistics, which cover the year to the end of June, are the highest on record for the second quarter in a row. The previous peak of 326,000 was reached in 2005 when the citizens of eight former Iron Curtain countries gained the right to work in the UK.
Ahead of the 2010 election, Mr Cameron pledged to reduce the net migration figure below 100,000 within five years. Despite a series of initiatives to tighten eligibility for visas, the total was close to 300,000 at the last election. Nevertheless the Prime Minister renewed his commitment to hit the target after his victory in May.
The ONS figures showed the largest numbers of new arrivals were from India, China, Romania, Poland and Spain.
Net migration by EU citizens increased by 42,000 to 180,000, while the number coming from outside the bloc rose by 36,000 to 201,000.
Much of the influx is accounted for by people coming to work in the UK.
Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford said: “Most the measures introduced over the last parliament to reduce net migration of workers, students and family members have now been in place for some years. At this point, changes in net migration are mainly being driven by economic factors like the success of the UK economy, rather than by new policies.”
