Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman has strongly criticized the recent surge in net migration, calling it a "slap in the face" for British voters. The criticism comes after statisticians revised their previous total for last year, revealing that they had missed 139,000 migrants due to their "unexpected" behavior (source).

Backlash from the Tory Right

Ms. Braverman has led a significant backlash from the Conservative Party's right-wing, claiming that she had pushed for stricter controls on migration while serving in the Cabinet. She expressed her concerns about the record migration numbers and their impact on housing, the NHS, schools, wages, and community cohesion. Ms. Braverman stated, "When do we say enough is enough? We were elected on a pledge to reduce net migration. Today's record numbers are a slap in the face to the British public who have voted to control and reduce migration" (source).

Pressure on PM Rishi Sunak

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who dismissed Ms. Braverman, has faced warnings from right-wing members of his party that reducing migration is a "do or die" issue. This comes after his previous commitment to bring net migration down to 2019 levels of 230,000. No.10 has acknowledged that the current figures are "far too high" (source).

Response Package Expected

The Prime Minister's office is reportedly working on a response package to address the issue of high migration numbers. The package is expected to include measures to crack down on workers bringing their dependents to the UK. The government acknowledges the need for action to address the concerns raised by the public and the Conservative Party's right-wing (source).

Positive Note for the PM

Although the overall net migration number is high, the Office for National Statistics reported a slightly lower figure for the year up to June 2023, at 672,000. During that period, a total of 1.18 million people came to the UK, with most of them entering legally. Additionally, 508,000 individuals left the country. While this provides a glimmer of good news for the Prime Minister, action is still needed to address the concerns raised by critics (source).

Concerns Highlighted by Recent Tragedy

The recent deaths of two migrants attempting to cross the Channel by boat from France have further highlighted the challenges and risks associated with migration. This tragic incident emphasizes the need for effective and comprehensive solutions to address the issue (source).

Conservative MPs Demand Action

The New Conservatives faction of Tory MPs has emphasized the importance of fulfilling promises made to the electorate. They believe that pledges cannot be ignored and are calling for action to address the concerns raised by the public and members of their own party. Ex-Cabinet Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg expressed his embarrassment over the government's failure to achieve its migration reduction goals (source).