1.6 million migrants from the EU settle in Britain: That’s equal to populations of Manchester and Birmingham combined in just nine years
An average of 500 people a day have exercised their right to free movement
Campaigners say figures show Britain must quit EU to control borders
It follows revelations of how free movement rules have let dozens of foreign criminals commit horrific offences in the UK
By JAMES SLACK POLITICAL EDITOR FOR THE DAILY MAIL
30 March 2016
More than 1.6 million migrants moved to Britain from within the EU in less than a decade.
The astonishing figure – the equivalent to the populations of Manchester and Birmingham combined – settled here between 2006 and 2014, according to the UK Statistics Authority.
It means an average of 500 people every day for nine years exercised their right to free movement – adding to the pressure on Britain’s schools, hospitals and other infrastructure.
And with migration from within the EU continuing to run at record levels over the past two years, the true total now will be even higher.
Campaigners said the figures showed that, if Britain wants to control its borders and plan properly for the future, it must quit the EU.
It follows revelations of how the free movement rules have let dozens of foreign criminals commit horrific offences in Britain.
In a speech today, Justice Minister Dominic Raab will warn that the ‘unyielding’ edict is also giving a ‘free pass’ to extremists and terror suspects.
Mr Raab will say that, where the UK has ‘sketchy intelligence’ that somebody may be linked to terrorism, the bar for denying them a right to free movement is set so high that we have to let them in.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3514701/1-6-million-migrants-EU-settle-Britain.html#ixzz44NgC6ucz
