Head count
While I have no truck with the Tories – who are unable to even give a figure for the level of the cap – according to the latest statistics from the European Union statistical agency, Eurostat, around a third of the immigrants to the UK come from the 26 other countries in the European Union.
In addition, according to the Office for National Statistics (February 2010), the number of non-British citizens immigrating long-term to the UK in the year to June 2009 was 519,000. The number of citizens from the eight accession countries, including the likes of Poland and Hungary, was 68,000, 13 per cent of the total.
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Hide AdImmigration is an issue that requires to be debated in a responsible and sensitive manner, and to start with false statistics means that such a debate is becoming increasingly debased.
ALEX ORR
Bryson Road
Edinburgh