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Net migration to UK reaches 318,000 David Cameron won't 'cave in' on migration target despite new figures
(about 1 hour later)
Net migration to the UK reached 318,000 last year - the highest total for a decade, new figures show. David Cameron says he will not give up on his immigration target despite net migration to the UK reaching its highest level for a decade.
The Office for National Statistics said this was up by more than 109,000 from 2013 and close to 2005's all-time high. Net migration rose by 50% to 318,000 last year - with sharp increases from inside and outside the EU.
There were increases in both EU and non-EU migration, with 641,000 people moving to the UK in 2014. A total of 641,000 people moved to the UK in 2014, the Office for National Statistics said.
It comes as the Conservatives unveil new plans to seize the wages of illegal workers as proceeds of crime in an attempt to reduce the numbers. But the PM said he would not "cave in" and abandon his target of reducing net migration below 100,000.
Prime Minister David Cameron said it had become "too easy" for migrants not entitled to be in the country to exploit loopholes. In a speech at the Home Office, he said Liberal Democrats had held back Conservative attempts to reduce numbers during the last parliament and unveiled a string of measures aimed at curbing illegal working.
Central to these are new plans to seize the wages of illegal workers as proceeds of crime in an attempt to reduce the numbers.
Politics live: Cameron speech and immigration figures reaction
However, the scale of the challenge facing ministers in reducing levels of legal immigration was highlighted again by a net migration rise the size of the population of Coventry.However, the scale of the challenge facing ministers in reducing levels of legal immigration was highlighted again by a net migration rise the size of the population of Coventry.
The figures measure the difference between the numbers of people moving the UK for a year or more and those leaving the UK for a year or more.The figures measure the difference between the numbers of people moving the UK for a year or more and those leaving the UK for a year or more.
They reveal:They reveal:
The Conservatives pledged before the 2010 election to reduce numbers to less than 100,000, a target they acknowledge they have failed to meet.The Conservatives pledged before the 2010 election to reduce numbers to less than 100,000, a target they acknowledge they have failed to meet.
"There is no good news here for David Cameron," said BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith."There is no good news here for David Cameron," said BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith.
He said ministers were shifting the emphasis of the immigration debate away from numbers towards "blue collar concerns" like jobs, pay and housing.He said ministers were shifting the emphasis of the immigration debate away from numbers towards "blue collar concerns" like jobs, pay and housing.
In a speech at the Home Office, Mr Cameron said: "Today's figures show how far we have to go to reach our goal."In a speech at the Home Office, Mr Cameron said: "Today's figures show how far we have to go to reach our goal."
On Twitter, UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the figures showed Mr Cameron's "claim to be pulling up the drawbridge is absurd". Taking questions from journalists afterwards, he said: "There is the approach of just give up, cave in and forget about it.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Home Secretary Theresa May said immigration in the tens of thousands remained the government's "aim". "But that's not my approach."
"It's the ambition that we have set out in our manifesto," she said. He said a growing economy could be combined with lower immigration levels as it had been in the 1990s.
Setting out how the target could be met, she said the Conservative government would "do some things that we wanted to do previously but we weren't able to do before because we were in coalition". Earlier, Mr Cameron visited a premises in Ealing, West London, shortly after it had been raided by immigration officials.
Mr Cameron visited a premises in Ealing, West London, on Thursday shortly after it has been raided by immigration officials. In his speech he said the government was determined to "control and reduce" immigration, saying criminalising illegal workers must go hand-in-hand with other measures to lower demand for migrant labour, such as boosting the skills of UK workers.
He said the government was determined to "control and reduce" immigration, saying criminalising illegal workers must go hand-in-hand with other measures to lower demand for migrant labour, such as boosting the skills of UK workers.
The government says depriving illegal migrants of their wages will make it harder for them to remain in the UK.The government says depriving illegal migrants of their wages will make it harder for them to remain in the UK.
A new criminal offence of illegal working will apply to migrants who have entered the country illegally and also those who came to the country legally but are in breach of their conditions or have overstayed.A new criminal offence of illegal working will apply to migrants who have entered the country illegally and also those who came to the country legally but are in breach of their conditions or have overstayed.
At the moment, migrants with current leave to remain who are working illegally in breach of their conditions may be prosecuted and are liable, if convicted, to a six months' custodial sentence and-or an unlimited fine.At the moment, migrants with current leave to remain who are working illegally in breach of their conditions may be prosecuted and are liable, if convicted, to a six months' custodial sentence and-or an unlimited fine.
But migrants who entered the UK illegally or have overstayed their leave are not subject to the same sanctions, and the police do not have the same powers of confiscation in all cases.But migrants who entered the UK illegally or have overstayed their leave are not subject to the same sanctions, and the police do not have the same powers of confiscation in all cases.
'Less attractive''Less attractive'
Mr Cameron said that "making Britain a less attractive place to come and work illegally" is a crucial part of a fair immigration policy - adding that a "strong country is one that controls immigration... not one that pulls up the drawbridge".Mr Cameron said that "making Britain a less attractive place to come and work illegally" is a crucial part of a fair immigration policy - adding that a "strong country is one that controls immigration... not one that pulls up the drawbridge".
"The truth is it has been too easy to work illegally and employ illegal workers here," he said."The truth is it has been too easy to work illegally and employ illegal workers here," he said.
"So we'll take a radical step - we'll make illegal working a criminal offence in its own right."So we'll take a radical step - we'll make illegal working a criminal offence in its own right.
"That means wages paid to illegal migrants will be seized as proceeds of crime… and businesses will be told when their workers' visas expire… So if you're involved in illegal working - employer or employee - you're breaking the law.""That means wages paid to illegal migrants will be seized as proceeds of crime… and businesses will be told when their workers' visas expire… So if you're involved in illegal working - employer or employee - you're breaking the law."
Analysis by Dominic Casciani, home affairs correspondentAnalysis by Dominic Casciani, home affairs correspondent
If the government is going to clamp down on illegal workers, it needs to find them.If the government is going to clamp down on illegal workers, it needs to find them.
So how many illegal migrants are there in the UK? The simple truth is - nobody knows.So how many illegal migrants are there in the UK? The simple truth is - nobody knows.
The best that we have are a series of academic guesses using various competing techniques of estimating what's going on.The best that we have are a series of academic guesses using various competing techniques of estimating what's going on.
The problem with all these estimates - and comparable calculations carried out by other big nations - is that nobody can really say whether they mean anything at all.The problem with all these estimates - and comparable calculations carried out by other big nations - is that nobody can really say whether they mean anything at all.
In 2012, the Home Office came close to nailing its colours to the mast when it published a paper on the subject. That analysis suggested the best guess is probably around 618,000 - but there is a huge range either side. It could be much lower - or much higher.In 2012, the Home Office came close to nailing its colours to the mast when it published a paper on the subject. That analysis suggested the best guess is probably around 618,000 - but there is a huge range either side. It could be much lower - or much higher.
However, lawyer Saira Grant, director of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, questioned how the new measure would be enforced.However, lawyer Saira Grant, director of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, questioned how the new measure would be enforced.
"We're talking about people who're illegally here, working cash-in-hand below the radar," she said."We're talking about people who're illegally here, working cash-in-hand below the radar," she said.
"Are the wages going to be seized retrospectively? But more importantly we are talking about very vulnerable people, with very little money as it is, often supporting families.""Are the wages going to be seized retrospectively? But more importantly we are talking about very vulnerable people, with very little money as it is, often supporting families."
She added that extending the "deport first, appeal later" principle to all non-asylum cases, another measure set to feature in a forthcoming immigration bill, would be "extremely detrimental to access to justice".She added that extending the "deport first, appeal later" principle to all non-asylum cases, another measure set to feature in a forthcoming immigration bill, would be "extremely detrimental to access to justice".
Among other proposed measures are new powers for councils to deal with unscrupulous landlords and to evict illegal migrants more quickly, while all foreign criminals awaiting deportation will be fitted with satellite tracking tags.Among other proposed measures are new powers for councils to deal with unscrupulous landlords and to evict illegal migrants more quickly, while all foreign criminals awaiting deportation will be fitted with satellite tracking tags.
It will also become an offence for businesses and recruitment agencies to hire abroad without first advertising in the UK - a policy which featured prominently in Labour's election manifesto.It will also become an offence for businesses and recruitment agencies to hire abroad without first advertising in the UK - a policy which featured prominently in Labour's election manifesto.
'Tackling exploitation''Tackling exploitation'
Ministers say the package builds on the progress made over the past five years but critics say the Conservatives' tough rhetoric has not been matched by action on the ground, either in tackling illegal immigration or curbing legal immigration.Ministers say the package builds on the progress made over the past five years but critics say the Conservatives' tough rhetoric has not been matched by action on the ground, either in tackling illegal immigration or curbing legal immigration.
Labour welcomed the action but said it did not go far enough.Labour welcomed the action but said it did not go far enough.
"A lot of this will look very familiar to anyone who read Labour's manifesto," shadow immigration minister David Hanson said."A lot of this will look very familiar to anyone who read Labour's manifesto," shadow immigration minister David Hanson said.
"It is clear the measures outlined here will not be sufficient to tackle exploitation. There needs to be a clear offence of exploitation that undercuts local jobs and wages, which the police and other experts have called for.""It is clear the measures outlined here will not be sufficient to tackle exploitation. There needs to be a clear offence of exploitation that undercuts local jobs and wages, which the police and other experts have called for."
Liberal Democrat peer Lord Paddick said: "Theresa May needs to get it into her head - not all immigration is bad. If she was serious about cracking down on illegal immigration she should concentrate on what works and not tar all immigrants with the same brush."
UKIP immigration spokesman Steven Woolfe said the new announcements were a "smoke screen to mask today's appalling immigration statistics".
Don Flynn, of the Migrants' Rights Network, said seizing wages would force some people into "systems of modern slavery without hope of protection from the law".Don Flynn, of the Migrants' Rights Network, said seizing wages would force some people into "systems of modern slavery without hope of protection from the law".
"Irregular migrants in the UK fit no one's image of a law-breaker living on the proceeds of crime," he said."Irregular migrants in the UK fit no one's image of a law-breaker living on the proceeds of crime," he said.
"Their vulnerable status means they are confined to the most insecure and exploitative forms of employment, usually earning scarcely enough to maintain themselves on a day-to-day basis.""Their vulnerable status means they are confined to the most insecure and exploitative forms of employment, usually earning scarcely enough to maintain themselves on a day-to-day basis."
The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants said the measures would do nothing to ease the pressure on public services.The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants said the measures would do nothing to ease the pressure on public services.
Madeleine Sumption, of Oxford University's Migration Observatory, said the latest immigration figures showed how hard it would to reduce net migration to below 100,000.Madeleine Sumption, of Oxford University's Migration Observatory, said the latest immigration figures showed how hard it would to reduce net migration to below 100,000.
"Net migration has risen even despite new restrictions on family, work and student visas that were introduced during the last Parliament," she added."Net migration has risen even despite new restrictions on family, work and student visas that were introduced during the last Parliament," she added.
Lord Green, of Migration Watch, said: "We need to stop and think where this mass immigration is leading. It points to a probable increase of three million in the UK population over the next five years in the face of very strong public opinion."