One sector of the UK benefiting from staggering net migration figures is universities, Henry Bolton OBE has claimed.
It comes after figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revised its study to find net migration to the UK is to hit a record 745,000 in 2022.
In numbers that have been dubbed a “slap in the face to the British public” by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, it was established that more students are arriving to the UK on visas and staying longer.
Speaking on GB News, former UKIP leader Henry Bolton says UK universities are “feeding” off foreign students and therefore contributing to the situation that continues to spiral rapidly for the Government.
Henry Bolton speaks on GB News
GB NEWS
“We have record figures on students and student dependents”, he said.
“For the life of me, I cannot figure out why students need to bring a family member with them.
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Today’s net migration figures have piled the pressure on Sunak
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“That is exploiting the system. We have to look at what is driving this. We have had this explosion over the past 15 years of universities and they are feeding off immigration.
“It’s a commercial enterprise. This is not about educating the British public, this is about businesses, in the form of universities, sponsoring people to come over as students and their dependents.
“It is Government policy allowing them to remain beyond the period of study.
“This is a money-spinner, a money-maker.”
The eye-watering numbers have piled yet more pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is facing calls from the right of his party to address the “unsustainable” levels urgently.
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to demand an annual cap on net migration.
“Today’s record migration stats show we’ve let in an extra million people in just two years, a population equivalent to Birmingham. The pressure on housing, the NHS, schools, wages, and community cohesion, is unsustainable. When do we say: enough is enough?” she said.
“We were elected on a pledge to reduce net migration, which was 229k in 2019. Today’s record numbers are a slap in the face to the British public who have voted to control and reduce migration at every opportunity.
“We must act now to reduce migration to sustainable levels.
“Brexit gave us the tools. It’s time to use them.”
The 2019 Conservative Party manifesto pledged to bring overall net migration numbers down after the introduction of post-Brexit border controls.
Many MPs on the right of the party have called on Sunak to honour that commitment.
