'WE CAN CUT MIGRATION AND THRIVE'

Braverman insists Brexit will allow Britain to forge its own way in the world

-  David Williamson

RISHI SUNAK was last night warned he must get immigration down as concern mounted over Britain's soaring population.

Senior Tories urged the Prime Minister to show "vision and courage" to overcome fears that the economy will crash if he stops importing cheap foreign labour. Home Secretary Suella Braverman said last night it was possible to reduce net migration without wrecking public services or stifling growth.

Suella reveals bold vision of future: a thriving UK with secure borders

She said: "A prosperous Britain with secure borders is within our reach." Mrs Braverman spoke out after figures showed 606,000 more people arrived than left the UK last year.

She told the Sunday Express: "We can get net migration down without damaging our economy or our public services. To all those who want immigration to fall, I can assure you so does this Government." Her remarks came as five former Cabinet ministers yesterday urged Mr Sunak to end high immigration.

And in a further blow to the Government, a poll revealed six in 10 people have no confidence in the PM cutting the numbers, with barely one in five believing he can.

Conservative MPs believe Mr Sunak is being swayed by doom-laden advisers who insist foreign workers are vital to meet his promise of boosting economic growth.

They say he is being held to ransom by the Office for Budget Responsibility, which has based its forecasts on net migration of at least 245,000 a year and would have to revise its figures if it fell below that.

He is also being hampered, it is claimed, by the effects a cut would have on education and the NHS.

University fees capped at £9,250 since 2010 are heavily subsidised by letting in foreign students who pay up to £44,240.

A crackdown on visas would hit funding and trigger calls to put up tuition costs for UK students.