MIGRATION RULES WILL HALT SHOCK POPULATION RISE

Plan to cut immigration by 300,000 a year is working’

- Sam Lister

HOME Secretary James Cleverly insists tough new migration rules will stop the population soaring to a startling 74 million by 2036.

Immigration is expected to add an extra six million people to the size of the UK, according to official figures. Overall the country's growth is the equivalent of five cities the size of Birmingham.

Mr Cleverly last night agreed to go even further and faster to stop the small boats during talks with his French counterpart.

But he insisted work was also well underway to bring down legal migration figures.

Writing in the Daily Express, the Home Secretary, left, said: "Net migration to the UK is too high. You think so, I think so, this Government thinks so, but the good news is our plan to cut the numbers by 300,000 is already in place and having an effect. And it's important to know that saying the numbers are too high is not because you or I or, indeed, the Government are uncompassionate or xenophobic.

"It is the rational and practical response to a trend that is simply not sustainable." Mr Cleverly warned that a Labour government would "embrace the option of doing nothing".

He said: "Their vague suggestions for the future turn out either to be the things we are already doing better or they vanish under questioning like sea fog.

"They don't have a plan, because deep down they don't believe in tackling migration. Keir Starmer and most of his team campaigned to keep free movement." The Office for National Statistics says the UK population is on course to grow by 10% from 67 million in mid-2021 to 73.7 million by mid-2036.

Around 10.8 million people are expected to be born while 10.3 million will die.

Some 13.7 million will move long-term to the UK, while 7.6 million people will emigrate.