MASS immigration has made Britain’s economy bigger — but not made us richer, a report says.
Mediocre economic performance since 2010 has been “flattered” by the six million population surge between then and 2023, said the Resolution Foundation think-tank.
PAMass immigration has made Britain’s economy bigger but not made us richer, a report found[/caption]
AlamyFormer immigration minister Robert Jenrick warned last month that immigration was not making the UK any richer[/caption]
The period saw a 0.7 per cent annual population rise — the fastest for a century — with three quarters linked to immigration.
Spokesman Greg Thwaites said: “Britain’s middling growth record has been propped up by a booming population.
“The extra six million people have certainly made the economy bigger, but has done little for GDP per capita.
“In fact, the UK’s record on productivity — which is what really matters for living standards — is exceptionally bad.”
Last year, net migration hit a whopping 685,000 – the second highest in modern British history.
Immigration is a key election battleground, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promising an annual cap to reduce numbers.
Labour’s Keir Starmer is also vowing to curb numbers in his manifesto, which is launched next week.
But he has refused to say what number of immigrants is OK or put a timeframe on it.
Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick warned last month that immigration was not making the UK any richer.
The possible Tory leadership contender also blasted the “disastrous post-Brexit liberalisations” of immigration.