Britain migration halves in 2024 after visa rule changes

HISTORIC DROP Labour's efforts to "smash the gangs" are showing little effect

- WILLIAM JAMES

LONG-TERM NET MIGRATION to Britain fell by 50% in 2024, official data showed on Thursday, as fewer people arrived on work and study visas following rule changes to cut the number of arrivals.

Net migration — an estimate of the number of people migrating to Britain minus those leaving — dropped to 431,000 from 860,000 in 2023, the office for national statistics said.

The data will offer some relief to Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who earlier in May promised to reduce migration significantly over the next four years, under pressure from Nigel Farage's right-wing, anti-immigration Reform UK party.