Net Migration Halved Last Year In Boost For Starmer Amid Growing Reform Threat

Nigel Farage and Keir StarmerNet migration to the UK almost halved in 2024 in a major boost for Keir Starmer, official statistics show.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that net migration – the difference between those who emigrate away from the UK and those who arrive – was at 431,000 last year.That means 948,000 people came to the country and 519,000 left.Today’s figure is a stark contrast compared to 2023, when net migration was at 860,000.Although the ONS figures include the first half of 2024 when the Tories were still in power, the current Labour government will still tout it as a win – especially amid Reform UK’s gains in the polls.According to the officials, this decline came down to a reduction in non-EU nationals coming to the UK on work and student visas.There was also an increase in the number of people coming to the UK on student visas leaving the country after the full easing of Covid travel restrictions.The figures will not show the impact of the prime minister’s new crackdown on immigration as those policies were only unveiled last week.But, the government expects his plan to ban a recruitment of care works from overseas, tighten access to skilled worker visas and impose tougher English language requirements for spouses will bring down net migration even further.While Starmer refused to put an exact number on it, he said last week that the new measures would mean numbers fell “significantly” over the next four years.The government denied its crackdown was related to Reform UK, who want a freeze on non-essential immigration and who won more than 600 council seats in the local elections.However, these stats will help Labour push back on Reform leader Nigel Farage’s call to “go further, as a matter of national security” on immigration. Meanwhile, the Conservatives were quick to take credit for the drop in net migration. Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, said: “This big drop in net migration has only happened because of tough action from the last Conservative government.“But the figures are still far too high and need to go down a lot further. That’s why we’ve proposed a binding annual immigration cap, set by parliament at much lower levels. Labour voted against it last week and voted against it again yesterday.“Labour scrapped our deterrents, binned the salary threshold rise, gutted deportation powers, and still parade around pretending their inaction is success. Only the Conservatives have a serious plan to slash migration a lot further.” Related...Keir Starmer's Latest Immigration Plan Is Reminding People Of 1 Failed Tory PolicyVictoria Derbyshire Skewers Minister As She Dodges 6 Questions On Labour Immigration PledgeAnalysis: Keir Starmer's Credibility Problem On Immigration Means He Can't Out-Farage Farage

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