You read that right, three whole cities…….
Britain will need to build three cities the size of Birmingham by 2020 unless action is taken to tackle migrant crisis
- Experts have warned UK’s population could increase by 3million by 2020
- Current immigration would require building of 3 Birmingham-sized cities
- Prediction will heap pressure on David Cameron to take control of borders
- His pledge to cut net migration to tens of thousands has been left in tatters
Lord Green of Deddington said Britain will be forced to build three cities the size of Birmingham within five years to cope with current levels of immigration
Britain will be forced to build three cities the size of Birmingham within five years to cope with current levels of immigration, experts warned last night.
Lord Green of Deddington, chairman of think-tank MigrationWatch UK, said the population could increase by a staggering 3million by 2020 – adding strain to the country’s creaking public services.
The prediction will heap pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron to take control of the borders as part of his renegotiation of Britain’s membership of the EU.
Immigration now tops the list of voters’ concerns in recent polls – with nearly 6 in 10 saying tackling immigration is among the most crucial issues facing the UK.
But his pledge to cut net migration to the tens of thousands has been left in tatters after the number soared to a record 330,000 in the year to March – a rise of 40 per cent in one year.
Lord Green said that if net migration – the number of people coming into the country minus those leaving – and the natural population increase continued at today’s rates, it would mean a typical rise of around 600,000 a year.
Giving evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee, he said: ‘On current levels of net migration, we are going to have to build three cities the size of Birmingham within five years. That just can’t be done.’
Birmingham, the UK’s second largest city, has a population of just over 1million, according to the 2011 census.
Lord Green said it would be ‘very difficult’ for the Government to hit its 100,000 migration target but he opposed axing the figure, arguing that it ‘focused’ bureaucrats and public opinion.
Read more: h/t: Buck
