Shropshire Star

Letter: Leaving the EU is the only way of controlling borders

The Government has now given up on its pledge to reduce the number of people coming to the UK to "tens of thousands", as figures recently released show that net migration has soared to 260,000, a 43 per cent increase, largely from Eastern Europe.

Published

When you remove the number of people emigrating, Office for National Statistics figures show that 583,000 people came here. EU immigration is at its highest ever, up to 228,000 from a previous figure of 183,000.

The National Audit Office shows that 32,000, up from 18,000 in the same period to June last year, came from Romania and Bulgaria alone. I seem to recall much sneering at Ukip when controls were lifted. Events have, as usual, proved them right.

With severe unemployment problems in parts of the eurozone, it is small wonder that the number of immigrants from the original 15 EU countries has risen from 96,000 to 117,000. While the rise in A8 immigration is not so steep, it still amounts to an additional 8,000 a year, up now to 74,000. Jobs have been created in the UK, but one third of them have been filled by foreign workers at the expense of our own unemployed.

Free movement of people is a foundation of the EU. Unless we leave we cannot control our borders.

Even non-EU immigration, which could be controlled, has increased, adding 272,000 people to the population of this crowded island, up from 242,000 in June 2013.

While gross domestic product may have gone up due to the rise in population, the figure which matters to the man in the street, GDP per head, has gone down. Individuals are worse off.

It is clear that the Coalition is no different from the previous Labour Government when it comes to letting large numbers in. If we do not control the quantity and quality of those we allow to come to the UK, how can we possibly plan to ensure there are sufficient houses, infrastructure, jobs, resources, NHS provision and school places?

We can continue to have a welfare system that is non-contributory yet free at the point of use or we can have unlimited immigration.The unpleasant truth is, we cannot have both because it is simply unaffordable

AC Allen, Ukip PPC Whitchurch

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.