Migrants coming to UK to blame for almost 90 per cent of Britain’s housing problems, shock report warns
MIGRATION is to blame for almost 90 per cent of housing shortfalls, a Tory report claims.
The influx is piling pressure on public services — but especially on housing, say MPs Robert Jenrick and Neil O’Brien.
Their report argues that in the past ten years, more than 3.44million homes should have been built to cope with 2.25million in demand and 1.19million for net migration.
But 2.11million homes were built, a deficit of 1.34million — 89 per cent of which would be needed just to house all migrants, it says.
The MPs write: “To think that we can add people at current rates and solve the housing crisis is absolute magical thinking.”
Former Immigration Minister Mr Jenrick and former Levelling Up Minister Mr O’Brien say migrants have not generated decent growth.
The report with the Centre for Policy Studies also attacks the Government for letting net migration balloon past 3.7million since 2010.
They say: “That is the populations of Edinburgh, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Stoke, Bristol and Cardiff put together, or more than the population of Wales.”
The MPs have called on PM Rishi Sunak to commit to reducing net migration and that limits on visas should be voted on each year.
Mr Jenrick said: “It would be great to see the Conservative Party commit again to a target under 100,000.
“We need to take a number of steps to stamp out abuses of the visa system.”
Home Secretary James Cleverly yesterday said his visa control package had resulted in a 24 per cent drop in applications in 2024
Beeb 'is skewing' the news
BBC journalists say negative stories on migrants are less likely to be given widespread coverage.
An internal inquiry found “no consistent bias” but “risks to impartiality”.
It said: “Story selection appeared driven not by deliberate choices, but by the culture of following the political agenda.
“Some journalists said some stories felt more risky to cover, particularly if the topics could appear unsympathetic.
“One journalist said if it was seen as ‘not a nice story’ it was less likely to be promoted on social media.”
Report author Prof Madeleine Sumption said: “Coverage should have equal empathy for migrants and UK residents who worry about the impacts of migration”.