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Immigration rises to highest ever level under Cameron - live
James Kirkup: Yet more promises and new laws won't solve Britain's problem with immigration
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There were 33,000 emigrants who said their main reason for leaving was "going home to live", comprising 18,000 EU citizens and 14,000 from non-EU nations. Emigrants were most keen to get away in 2008, with 62,000 fleeing, which is unsurprising considering it marked the start of the economic crunch.
There have been around 30,000 people leaving Britain every year to accompany or join relatives elsewhere. Others emigrate as they have finished their studies, with 25,000 leaving last year, marginally more than the 22,000 the year before, indicating that Britain's universities have been attracting more foreign students.
What about the ex-pats who wanted to live out their retirement in a nice villa in somewhere like Spain or France? They could well be represented among the 52,000 people who left last year for un-stated reasons, or the 38,000 "other" emigrants.
I never would have thought this would happen to England. My grandparents left ITaly for similar reasons, but I think Italy had to far more messed up than England can be today.
Sounds like the USA might have to use Ireland as a staging ground next time there is a conflict in Europe and we help.
Long live GB