12 million more migrants expected despite Brexit unless U.K. exits Single Market as well.
Tory MP Philip Hollobone said: “Migration Watch’s forecasts have always been thoroughly reliable.”
Express, “BREXIT WARNING: 12 MILLION more migrants to arrive in UK in 25 years without hard Brexit”, 29 Dec 2016:
MASS immigration will continue at “unacceptable” levels for at least two decades unless Britain makes a full break with Brussels, a report predicted last night.
Figures showed that annual net migration to the UK from EU countries would be unlikely to fall below 155,000 in the “medium term” if the country stays in the EU’s Single Market.
And the Government’s ability to reduce the influx will be “extremely limited” as long as the EU’s free movement rules remain in force.
The disturbing forecast of near-record levels of migration for years ahead was set out in a report from the population think tank Migration Watch. It was being seen last night as a devastating blow to campaigners for a so-called “soft Brexit” that retain the UK’s full Single Market membership.
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“An increase of anything like 12 million in just 25 years is, quite simply, unacceptable to the British public and certainly not what they voted for in the referendum.”
Tory MP Philip Hollobone said: “Migration Watch’s forecasts have always been thoroughly reliable and are the best we are going to get from anyone.
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“The picture they paint is completely unacceptable.
“We simply can’t stay in the Single Market if it means we are going to get that sort of level of immigration.
“Above all, people voted in the referendum for a change in our approach to immigration.”
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“Total net immigration will add 12 million people to the population in just 25 years, more than the equivalent of the entire current populations of Bulgaria and New Zealand.”
He added: “Theresa May needs to set out in no uncertain terms that when the UK leaves the EU it will also cease to be a member of the Single Market.
Posted by Bill Baillie challenges Brexit "purists" on Sun, 01 Jan 2017 09:27 | #