UK politics live: Badenoch and Cleverly claim Tory credit for 20% fall in net migration
Net migration to the UK dropped 20 per cent in the year to June 2024
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch and former home secretary James Cleverly have said that visa changes implemented by the Tories are the reason for a sharp fall in net migration.
Figures released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that net migration to the UK dropped 20 per cent in the year to June 2024, down from a record high the year previous.
Estimated net migration to the UK stood at a provisional 728,000 in the year to June 2024, down from 906,000 for the year to June 2023, according to provisional figures.
In a speech on immigration yesterday, Ms Badenoch said: “Tomorrow, immigration figures will be released that should show a drop in net migration. This is because of the changes we made in the last year of the Conservative government.”
And reacting to the figures today, Mr Cleverly said: “Today’s migration figures are the first to show the impact of the changes that I brought in as Home Secretary.
“Numbers are still too high, but we see the first significant downward trend in years. Changes that Labour opposed and haven’t fully implemented.”
Government faces ‘tough choices’ on immigration, says top think-tank
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has said the government faces tough choices on immigration and further cuts to numbers could cause recruitment issues in social care.
Responding to the migration statistics, Marley Morris, IPPR associate director for migration, trade and communities, said: “Net migration is coming down from record highs as the previous government’s policies start to bite. We expect a further substantial fall in the next set of figures.
“But revisions to earlier estimates mean that last year’s peak in net migration is even higher than previously thought, at just over 900,000.
“The new government faces a tough set of choices on immigration. Further cuts to numbers could be challenging for recruitment in key sectors such as social care, as well as university finances. It will need a clear framework to work through these choices and manage the potential impacts.”
Braverman latest Tory to take credit for fall in net migration figures
Tory former home secretary Suella Braverman is the latest conservative politician to take credit for a fall in net migration.
Another former home secretary, James Cleverly, and new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch have already said changes in policy when they were in government led to the fall in net migration.
Mrs Braverman said: “A 20% drop in immigration since June 2023 is a result of the changes I fought for and introduced in May 2023 as home secretary.
“That’s when we started to turn the tide.
“But 1.2 million arrivals a year is still too high. This is unsustainable and why we need radical change.”
19% fall in number of people given sanctuary in the UK on humanitarian routes, data shows
In the past year there has been a 19 per cent drop in the number of people given sanctuary in the UK on humanitarian routes, largely due to the reduction in visas granted on the Ukraine schemes.
New Home Office data shows that both the Ukrainian visa scheme, and the scheme for Hongkongers, have seen a substantial drop in grants of sanctuary to the UK. Ukraine scheme visa grants have dropped 53 per cent from September 2023 to September 2024, going from 62,946 to 29,507 grants each year.
For the Hong Kong scheme, there has been a 23 per cent drop from around 40,000 to just over 30,000.The Afghan resettlement schemes and the family reunion route have however seen large increases.
The number of grants for the Afghan schemes is up 735 per cent year-on-year; from 1,083 grants up to September 2023 to 9,048 grants up to September 2024.
Family reunion visa grants, which allow people granted asylum in the UK to bring their close family to safety, are up 230 per cent year-on-year. This accounts for an increase of over 13,000 grants.
Jump in asylum processing claims, latest data shows
A big jump in the processing of asylum claims is obvious in the data published by the Home Office this morning.
The number of people who have received initial decisions on their asylum claims in the year ending September 2024 was 102,305 - almost double the number made in the previous year due to an increased number of decision makers and greater productivity.
The success of asylum claims is going down, with only 52 per cent of initial decisions being grants of asylum. This is compared to 75 per cent in the previous year.
Badenoch and Cleverly takes credit for fall in net migration
Former home secretary James Cleverly has taken credit for today’s fall in net migration.
Writing on X, he said: “Today’s migration figures are the first to show the impact of the changes that I brought in as Home Secretary.
“Numbers are still too high, but we see the first significant downward trend in years. Changes that Labour opposed and haven’t fully implemented.”
In a speech on immigration yesterday, Kemi Badenoch said: Tomorrow, immigration figures will be released that should show a drop in net migration. This is because of the changes we made in the last year of the Conservative government.”
21 per cent drop year-on-year in small boat arrivals, new data shows
There’s been a 21 per cent drop year-on-year in the number of small boat arrivals, new Home Office data shows. New data shows that there were 29,851 small boat arrivals in the year up to September 2024.
However when comparing annual years, more migrants have crossed the Channel so far in 2024 than in the whole of 2023.
In January to September 2024, Afghans and Vietnamese were the two most common nationalities amongst small boat arrivals. While the number of Afghan arrivals has decreased year-on-year by 14 per cent, the number of Vietnamese arrivals has increased by a staggering 117 per cent.
In the year up to September, only 28 per cent of the total number of people claiming asylum in the UK had arrived on a small boat.
Why has net migration fallen?
ONS director Mary Gregory explained the drop saying: “Since 2021, long-term international migration to the UK has been at unprecedented levels. This has been driven by a variety of factors, including the war in Ukraine and the effects of the post-Brexit immigration system.
“While remaining high by historic standards, net migration is now beginning to fall and is provisionally down 20% in the 12 months to June 2024.Over that period we have seen a fall in immigration, driven by declining numbers of dependants on study visas coming from outside thee EU.”
She added that in the first months of 2024 there has also been a drop in the number of people coming to the UK for work.
BREAKING: Net migration to UK fell sharply in 2024, latest figures show
Net migration to the UK dropped 20 per cent in the year to June 2024, down from a record high the year previous.
Estimated net migration to the UK stood at a provisional 728,000 in the year to June 2024, down from 906,000 for the year to June 2023, according to provisional figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released on Thursday.
The total for the 12 months to June 2023 has been revised upwards by 166,000 from the initial estimate of 740,000.
Archie Mitchell reports
Net migration to UK fell sharply in 2024, latest figures show
Net migration to the UK dropped 20 per cent in the year to June 2024, down from a record high the year previous.
Comment: We should strive for a better national health service – not a national death service
As a doctor who became a politician, I believe that some of the so-called safeguards around the assisted dying legislation are completely false, writes former trade and defence secretary Liam Fox – who believes the bill is ‘rushed’ and will increase risks to vulnerable people
We should strive for a better national health service – not a national death service
As a doctor who became a politician, I believe that some of the so-called safeguards around the assisted dying legislation are completely false, writes former trade and defence secretary Liam Fox – who believes the bill is ‘rushed’ and will increase risks to vulnerable people
What’s on the agenda today?
9.30am: Latest estimates of net migration to the UK, from the Office for National Statistics. At the same time the Home Office is also publishing its latest figures relating to asylum applications.
11am: Reform UK press conference on party growth, professionalisation and special announcement
11.30am Government holds lobby briefing
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments