Sunak battles Cabinet revolt as pressure piles on PM over SOARING numbers

They launched a scathing intervention on migration, warning Sunak the issue is “do or die” for the party and demanding “immediate and massive” action to meet the party’s manifesto pledge to reduce numbers.

Revised figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) yesterday showed that net migration in the year to December 2022 soared to a record 745,000.

The figures also revealed that net migration stood at 672,000 to June 2023, an increase from 607,000 for the same period one year before.

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman also piled on the pressure yesterday, describing the latest figures as a “slap in the face to the British public”.

Warning: “Enough is enough”, the Home Secretary suggested Rishi Sunak had blocked measures to prevent migration, which she claimed she had been “pushing for” when she was in the Home Office.

Jenrick’s plan includes proposals that were made by Braverman before she was sacked – and supposedly stonewalled by Sunak.

The New Conservatives’ Group letter yesterday, which listed the measures, highlight significant support among the backbenches.

The measures include an increase to the salary threshold, taking it to £35,000; a cap on the number of health and social care visas; and a ban on social care workers bringing dependents.

It would also see the shortage occupation list – which lets firms pay foreign workers 20 per cent below the going rate – scrapped.

Braverman’s letter went further, also calling for the closure of the graduate visa route, limits on the number of dependents on all visas and an annual cap on net migration.

The Prime Ministers official spokesperson said the Government is “actively considering” measures to curb net migration.

But they played down speculation over a package being ready by next week.

The official admitted that net migration to the UK is too high, vowing to leave “no stone unturned” to tackle the issue.

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