Net migration to the UK has seen a notable drop, falling to 728,000 in the year to June 2024, a 20 percent decline from the revised peak of 906,000 recorded in the previous year.
These figures, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), follow adjustments to earlier estimates, which initially reported significantly lower numbers.
The downward trend comes amidst an admission by Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch that previous governments had mishandled migration policies. She described it as a “collective failure of political leaders from all parties over decades,” and acknowledged on behalf of her party, “we got this wrong.”
The revised migration figures, covering the period before the Conservative defeat in the general election, reflect higher-than-anticipated immigration during their last year in power.
The previous government faced criticism for running what the current administration has called an “experiment in open borders.” A government spokesperson emphasized their mandate to “bring down these record-high levels of legal migration and tackle the root causes behind it.“
Mary Gregory, the ONS director, noted that the decline in net migration was driven by multiple factors, including reductions in dependents accompanying study visa holders, fewer work-related arrivals, and increased emigration.
Also, non-EU immigration related to study visa dependents dropped from 115,000 in the year to June 2023 to 80,000 by June 2024.
The fall aligns with policy changes introduced in 2023 by the Conservative government, which raised the minimum earning threshold for overseas workers from £26,200 to £38,700 and restricted international students’ ability to bring family members.
Long-term migration levels remain historically high, influenced by post-pandemic recovery, the war in Ukraine, and adjustments to post-Brexit immigration systems. According to Gregory, “pent-up demand for study-related immigration due to pandemic travel restrictions also had an impact.“
Former Conservatives Claim Credit
Despite the criticism of their earlier policies, former Conservative leaders and ministers have pointed to the latest migration drop as proof of the effectiveness of reforms implemented in their final months.
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman described the decrease as a result of changes introduced under her tenure in May 2023. “A 20 percent drop in immigration since June 2023 is a result of the changes I fought for,” Braverman said, though she added, “1.2 million arrivals a year is still too high. This is unsustainable and why we need radical change.“
James Cleverly, who also served as home secretary, echoed these sentiments, calling the drop “the first significant downward trend in years” while emphasizing the necessity of further reductions.
New Tory leader Badenoch dismissed suggestions that the current government could claim credit for the falling numbers.
Badenoch, joined by Shadow Immigration Minister Chris Philp, pledged to introduce stricter migration controls, including a hard cap on the number of arrivals and a “zero tolerance policy” for illegal migration. “Millions want to come here,” she stated, “but we as politicians have to do right by the citizens of this country before anyone else.“
The ONS attributed the unprecedented figures since 2021 to a mix of global factors, including conflicts, economic demand, and evolving immigration frameworks.
Commenting on the broader context, Gregory remarked, “While remaining high by historic standards, net migration is now beginning to fall and is provisionally down 20 percent in the 12 months to June 2024.“
As such, as migration policies and debates continue to dominate the UK’s political landscape, the latest figures underscore the challenges in balancing economic demands, humanitarian obligations, and public sentiment.
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