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UK Net Migration Data Reveals Cameron's Vow to Cut Numbers Pointless

© AFP 2023 / DENIS CHARLETPolicemen stand guard next to truck queuing to board a ferry to Great Britain to prevent migrants to reach the UK illegally, on September 10, 2014 in the French port of Calais
Policemen stand guard next to truck queuing to board a ferry to Great Britain to prevent migrants to reach the UK illegally, on September 10, 2014 in the French port of Calais - Sputnik International
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Jean Lambert, a member of the European Parliament, called UK Prime Minister David Cameron's statement to reduce the number of migrants to tens of thousands "pointless."

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron - Sputnik International
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MOSCOW (Sputnik), Yulia Shamporova — Recent record-high statistics for net migration to the United Kingdom demonstrate the futility of Prime Minister David Cameron's plan to reduce the number to tens of thousands, a member of the European Parliament told Sputnik on Friday.

The Office for National Statistics on Thursday released estimates that 318,000 more people moved to the UK in 2014 than left, a peak not seen since 2005 when net migration was 320,000.

"The ONS figures only prove that people want to come and work here as well as showing how pointless Cameron's ambitious 'tens of thousands' statement was," Jean Lambert said.

Cameron campaigned in this month's election on the promise to reduce annual net migration from outside the European Union to less than 100,000 people. His Conservative Party gained an unexpected majority in the 650-seat House of Commons on May 7.

British PM David Cameron - Sputnik International
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Lambert, a Green Party Member of the European Parliament, stressed that migrants contribute positively to the UK economy and argued that Cameron's pledge is next to impossible to carry out.

"Even by the usual standards of anti-immigration rhetoric, it is difficult to see how David Cameron's policy announcements on what he calls 'illegal' immigration will work," Lambert told Sputnik.

In Thursday's speech to unveil a harsh new immigration bill, Cameron pledged to make it more difficult for undocumented migrants to work, study or reside in the UK. The bill includes a new provision to criminalize illegal employment and seize migrants' wages "as proceeds of crime."

In an interview with Sputnik on Friday, Lambert suggested that instead of appearing "tough" with his anti-immigration stance, Cameron could work with local authorities to help them adapt effectively to change.

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