Rishi: I Get It! You Want Migration Down

'We must and will bring numbers down'

-  Sam Lister

IN an unequivocal message to to Daily Express readers, Rishi Sunak has declared: "We must and will cut the number of people moving to the UK."

As net migration rose to a record 606,000, the PM said it was too high - and must not be allowed to spiral further.

Around 1.2 million migrants arrived in Britain last year and 557,000 emigrated, data showed. Tory MPs said "unsustainable" high numbers were putting a strain on public services.

Mr Sunak admitted the 24 per cent increase was "too high" but insisted he was taking tough action to reverse the trend. He said: "I know Express readers looking at the migration figures will be clear in their minds that they are too high and I could not agree more.

"Unprecedented world events and the lifting of Covid restrictions have led to record levels of immigration to the UK.

"While there is much that we should be proud of - and it was right that we opened our hearts and homes to 114,000 people fleeing war in Ukraine and stood by our commitments to 52,000 Hong Kongers we must, and my Government will, bring down the number of people. Stopping the boats and tackling illegal immigration is one of my top five priorities, but I am also committed to reducing legal migration.

"That is why earlier this week the Government announced tough measures to limit people bringing family members with them when they come to study here.

Skills

"We have seen that number spiral and we will not allow it any longer. I am confident this action on student dependants will deliver one of the single largest reductions in net migration we have seen...