The UK will hold its first election in almost 5 years. Here’s what to know
Associated Press2 days
The Facts
Overview: Since 1994, the number of people migrating to the UK has been consistently larger than the number emigrating. While COVID disrupted migration growth trends, the country has seen historic highs since. 1.2M individuals migrated to the UK in 2023, with net migration sitting at 685K. The statistics are second only to 2022's figures, which saw 1.26M migrants and a net migration of 764K. 2022 also saw a record high for yearly illegal small boat Channel crossings (46K), a statistic that decreased by 36% in 2023 (29K) before reaching a record quarterly high (5.4K) in Q1 2024.
Current state: In its 2023 report, the independent and non-departmental Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) notes that the UK failed to achieve its annual net migration target of below 100K throughout the 2010s. While figures are described as "subject to significant uncertainty and revision," the report notes that a "sharp rise in [UK] net migration is explained primarily by a significant increase in non-EU immigration." It also claims that net migration is "unlikely" to remain at "unusually high" levels, continuing that current trends are similar to comparator countries such as the US, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada, and can be "explained both as a response to COVID-19... and (especially in Europe) by the crisis in Ukraine."
The Spin
Tory narrative
With the UK now a global hotspot for illegal immigrants, the Safety of Rwanda Bill may not be the perfect solution, but it is certainly the best available option. Labour’s complaints against the policy are based upon tried and failed ideals of collaborative European crime crackdowns and cynical attempts to undermine government policy. Albeit costly, the Rwanda Act will act as a strong deterrent and send a clear message that those who unlawfully take advantage of the UK are not welcome.
Labour narrative
Polling shows that Labour supporters do not share the same concerns as their Tory counterparts when it comes to immigration. While Starmer has the difficult challenge of maintaining electoral support from differing demographics and ideologies, so far it is clear that he's trusted more than Sunak to strike a competent balance of both compassion and security at the country's borders. Only time will tell if the Labour leader will be able to sustain this success once his party enters Downing Street.
Reform narrative
The UK is facing a siege of illegal migrants who seek to tear the country apart from the inside. Tories and Labour alike continue to ignore the swaths of crime that are accompanying asylum seekers to the UK, and the damage that they are having on British society. UK border security must be taken seriously and this dangerous trend must be immediately halted before it is too late.
Progressive narrative
Both Labour and the Conservatives have openly rejected their duty to support asylum seekers. With a lack of legal safe routes to the UK only encouraging a rise in human traffickers, it is vital that grassroot campaigns continue to support those in need while the political establishment turns a blind eye to their humanitarian responsibilities.