Missing the target.
The Government should stop setting net migration targets in the “tens of thousands” and instead commit to a three-year plan that accounts for the UK’s needs and goals, MPs have said.
A select committee in the House of Commons has argued that repeatedly failing to meet this target undermines public trust.
MPs on the Home Affairs Committee said fears about illegal immigration have grown because of a dearth of official data and the target, first set by David Cameron in 2010, does not reflect the public’s view of how different forms of migration should be treated. The committee also said students should not be included in the target “at a minimum,” in a report released yesterday.
The document recommends a policy modelled on Canada, which uses a point system, to throttle migration according to economic factors rather than political. And you can see why.
2010
David Cameron introduces the pledge in an interview with Andrew Marr. He says that if he won an election he would limit net migration to the “tens of thousands.” The fool doth think he is wise.
Net migration:Â 256,000
2011
Coalition, coalition, coalition. We’re still in the early days, but don’t worry, that’s a 25 per cent decrease. In April 2011, the Prime Minister gives a speech to Conservative party members guaranteeing he will deliver the “tens of thousands” promise, “No ifs. No buts.”
Net migration: 205,000
2012
You have to wonder if at this point DavCam believed he could do it. A slight increase in Britons emigrating combined with a decrease in their Eastern European counterparts led to the drop.
Net migration: 177,000
2013
The then Prime Minister used a speech in Ipswich to underline the Conservative, but crucially not coalition, commitment to limiting net migration to “tens of thousands,” as well as announcing a gang of measures designed to reduce the number of migrants coming from the EU to use the health service, live in council houses or claim work-related benefits.
Net migration: 209,000
2014
Theresa May downgrades David Cameron’s “No ifs. No buts.” promise to a “comment,” the chances of achieving which are “unlikely.”
Net migration: 318,000
2015
Ed Miliband brandishes a “contract” circulated by the Tories during the 2010 election at David Cameron, it urged voters to kick him out if he failed to deliver net migration in the “tens of thousands.”
Net migration: 332,000 (record high)
2016
The EU has failed us all. pic.twitter.com/Lb7txUghar
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 16, 2016
Little mention of tens of thousands this year because of, you know, the other thing.
Net migration: 248,000
2017
It’s almost as if there’s a pattern to this. Like, ambitions are simultaneously played down ahead of a general election and then renewed with vigour in the manifesto. But the lowest figure since 2013 is attributed to a marked fall in migration of EU citizens to the UK, as well as more leaving to return to their EU8 countries.
Net migration: 230,000
In summary, the government have not hit their self-imposed target since they started setting it.
