Immigration Solicitors

An influential Conservative think tank has said that the government should drop the net migration target of “tens of thousands”.

The Telegraph reports that a new goal should be set for immigration from outside the European Union, focusing on non-EU gross migration instead of net migration.

The Home Office has repeatedly failed to reduce net migration – the difference between the number of people who arrive in Britain and those who leave.

The annual net migration figure has been steadily rising and is now in excess of 250,000 and reached a record high of 320,000 in June 2005.

The government has targeted non-EU migration – including overseas students from outside the EU.

The Bright Blue think tank’s advisory panel includes Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, however – as well as the former culture secretary, Maria Miller and the former immigration minister, Damian Green.

Director of Bright Blue, Ryan Shorthouse, said:

“The Conservative government needs to develop a strong record of competence on managing our immigration system.

“That means new, deliverable targets, such as on non-EU gross migration rather than overall net migration, which the public can hold the government to account on – for example, through an Annual Migration Day in Parliament.”

Mr Shorthouse added that if the target were not met, more money should be given to a fund so “local areas are given the necessary resources to cope with higher levels of migration".

The Conservative’s original aim to reduce net migration to tens of thousands was set in 2010 – a new aim has been set to reduce the figures by 2020.

In July, Home Secretary Theresa May suggested that the target would be easier to achieve as the Conservatives are now no longer part of a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats.

Home Secretary Theresa May said:

“We have the target of the tens of thousands. It’s the same target. The aim is to meet it by the end of the five-year Parliament.

“It is certainly the case that there are certain measures that we will be able to put into the Immigration Bill we are bringing forward, that we would have wished to introduce prior to the election that we weren’t able to because we were in coalition government,” she added.

The Bright Blue think tank describes itself as “an independent think tank and pressure group for liberal conservatism”.

Duncan Lewis Immigration Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is one of the UK’s leading firms of immigration solicitors and can advise on all immigration matters, including student visas and right to work in the UK.

Duncan Lewis is also a leading Legal Aid solicitor offering legal advice on:

• Asylum and asylum appeals
• British citizenship
• Entrepreneur visas
• Illegal entry to the UK
• Marriage in the UK
• Spouse visas
• Visa overstays.
For expert legal advice on UK immigration law, contact Duncan Lewis immigration solicitors on 020 7923 4020.