Net migration hits a record high of 336,000 as government warns 'uncontrollable wave' of people could push Britain to leave EU

• 636,000 people arrived in the UK in the year to June but only 300,000 left
• Net migration from the rest of Europe hits record high of 180,000
• Romania is now in the top five of countries for immigration for first time 
• Britain could leave EU over fears of an 'uncontrollable wave of migration'
• See more news on the migrant crisis at www.dailymail.co.uk/migrantcrisis 

David Cameron's promise to curb the numbers of people coming to Britain was dealt a devastating blow today as new figures showed net migration running at a record high.

Some 336,000 more people arrived in the UK than left in the last year, more than treble the Prime Minister's target of cutting net migration to under 100,000.

The damning figures emerged as Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond warned Britain could vote to leave the European Union over fears of an 'uncontrollable wave of migration'. 

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Some 336,000 more people arrived in the UK than left in the last year, more than treble the Prime Minister's target of cutting net migration to under 100,000

Researchers said the latest rise was down to a 'statistically significant' increase in the numbers of people arriving in the UK, with immigration at 636,000 - up 62,000 on the same period last year.

The surge is driven in part by a major jump in the number of Bulgarians and Romanians coming to the UK, up 61 per cent in a year. 

Mr Cameron has repeatedly refused to 'cave in' on his promise to cut net migration to the tens of thousands, despite the figure leaping to its highest annual total records dating back four decades.

Across the board the latest data from the Office for National Statistics makes for grim reading for the Prime Minister.

Net migration - the difference between new arrivals and those leaving - is up a third to 336,000 in the year to June.

It comes after the number of people settling in the UK leapt by 62,000 to 636,000 while the number who left in 12 months dropped by 20,000 to 300,000.

Mr Cameron has promised his planned changes on benefits for migrants would limit the numbers coming from the EU.

Latest figures show that net migration of EU citizens increased by 42,000 to 180,000 in a year. 

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David Cameron, pictured leaving Number 10 today, has repeatedly refused to 'cave in' on his promise to cut net migration to the tens of thousands, despite the figure leaping to its highest annual total records dating back four decades

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Romania is now in the top five of countries where those coming to Britain last lived for the first time, accounting for 6% of all immigration

ROMANIA IN THE TOP 5 COUNTRIES FOR IMMIGRATION FOR FIRST TIME

A major jump in the number of Bulgarians and Romanians coming to the UK has been revealed in the latest immigration data.

Statistics showed 50,000 citizens from the two countries arrived in Britain to live in the year to June.

This was a jump of 19,000 or 61 per cent compared to the 12 months to June last year and means that Bulgarians and Romanians now account for more than a fifth (21 per cent) of total immigration from the EU.

In addition, estimates suggest that net migration - the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving - from the countries has jumped by more than 70 per cent from 27,000 for the year to June 2014 to 46,000 in the following 12 months.

Restrictions on those from the nations - known as the EU2 countries - were lifted on January 1 last year.

This prompted suggestions that a major influx would follow but the first sets of statistics following the change appeared to contradict the claims.

The latest data show the estimated number of EU2 citizens immigrating to the UK has more than doubled compared to 23,000 in 2013 - the last annual period before the limits were scrapped.

Of the 50,000 who came to the UK, the majority - 84 per cent - came for work reasons, the ONS data showed.

Romania is now in the top five countries where those coming to Britain last lived for the first time, accounting for 6 per cent of all immigration. 

Some 294,000 people came to Britain in search of work in the year to June, up from 241,000 in 2014. Of these, just under two thirds - 187,000 - actually had a job to go to.

More than 160,000 of those coming for work related reasons were from the EU Of those coming with a definite job, 101,000 were EU citizens, a statistically significant increase of 22,000.

The number of Romanians and Bulgarians coming to the UK has soared since migration curbs were lifted.

Some 50,000 people from the two countries arrived in the UK - more than double the 19,000 who came in the same period last year.

The number of EU nationals working in the UK topped 2million in the three months to September, up by 324,000 on the same quarter in 2014.

By contrast, levels of employment among non-EU nationals remained broadly largely unchanged at 1.2 million. 

In May, just weeks after the general election, Mr Cameron ordered every minister in the government to step up efforts to tackle immigration, including access to benefits, housing and the NHS.

In a speech today at the Home Office today announced plans for foreign criminals who face being kicked out of the country to be tagged and tracked by GPS satellites.

He argued that people in the UK illegally should be deported first and only allowed to appeal against the decision once they have left the UK in non-asylum cases.

It is an attempt to address public concern about the levels of immigration, and the threat posed by low-skilled migrants taking jobs which could go to Britons.

In 2010 Mr Cameron promised 'no ifs, no buts' to cut net migration - the number of people entering the country minus the number leaving - to the tens of thousands.

But today's figures show how he has spectacularly failed to meet the pledge. 

A number of measures to reduce net migration have been implemented in recent years and a bill currently going through Parliament includes new sanctions for illegal workers and restrictions on access to bank accounts and driving licences for those in the country unlawfully.

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Net migration from the EU has risen sharply in recent years to reach record levels, piling pressure on the government

VOTERS FEAR UNCONTROLLABLE MIGRANT WAVE, SAYS HAMMOND

Britain could vote to leave the European Union over fears of an 'uncontrollable wave of migration', Philip Hammond warned

Britain could vote to leave the European Union over fears of an 'uncontrollable wave of migration', Philip Hammond warned.

The Foreign Secretary said the public mood had shifted in the wake of the migrant crisis spreading across Europe.

In a speech in Rome, he added: Since the migration crisis began earlier this summer, the poll numbers have changed and the most recent poll published yesterday showed that by a small margin a majority are now in favour of leaving the EU.

'I am pretty clear from talking to my own constituents this reflects the effect of the migration crisis and fear of the future and fear that Europe is losing control of the situation.'

David Cameron has demanded curbs on benefits for migrants, include a ban until their have been in the UK for four years - something other EU leaders are resisting. 

But Mr Hammond said: 'That is non-negotiable if we want to get agreement that Britain's future is in the European Union.' 

An expert suggested economic factors are having a greater bearing on the current trend than government policy.

Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said: 'Most of the measures introduced over the last parliament to reduce net migration of workers, students and family members have now been in place for some years.

'At this point, changes in net migration are mainly being driven by economic factors like the success of the UK economy rather than by new policies.'

Immigration Minister James Brokenshire admitted the latest figures 'underline the challenge we face to reduce net migration to sustainable levels'.

He said: 'We remain committed to reforms across the whole of government to deliver the controlled migration system which is in the best interests of our country.'

Student fraud has been slashed and access to welfare toughened, he claimed, but added: 'With over 90,000 more non-EU students arriving than departing the UK, and too many British employers still overly reliant on foreign workers, there is much more to do.

'As the Prime Minister has said, in the past it has been too easy for some businesses to bring in workers from overseas rather than to take the decision to train our workforce here at home.

'That is why our long-term economic plan, which will see many more young Britons given the training and skills they need to fill the jobs our growing economy is creating, is so important.'

He said the new immigration bill will address illegal working and the 'pull factors' that draw migrants to Britain, adding: 'The last two set of figures show record levels of EU immigration which show why the PM is right to negotiate with the EU to reform welfare to reduce the financial incentives that attract EU migrants to the UK.' 

Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: 'These record high figures represent a continuation of the government's complete failure to control immigration. David Cameron's 'tens of thousands' pledge is now in tatters.

'It is clear that only by voting to Leave the European Union in the forthcoming referendum can we have a system of controlled immigration at sensible levels.' 

HOW DAVID CAMERON'S 'TENS OF THOUSANDS' PLEDGE UNRAVELLED

'We would like to see net immigration in the tens of thousands rather than the hundreds of thousands.' David Cameron, Jan 2010

'Levels of immigration can return to where they were in the 1980s and 90s. Net migration to this country will be in the order of tens of thousands each year. No ifs. No buts. That's a promise we made to the British people.' David Cameron, April 2011

'When we made that comment ... we were very clear that was what we wanted to do. It remains the objective towards which the Prime Minister and others are working.' Theresa May, Nov 2014

'I think we will keep the target. It is important because it is about not just dealing with those coming into the system but also about making sure that those people who shouldn't live here actually leave.' Theresa May, March 2015

'Our action has not been enough to cut annual net migration to the tens of thousands. That ambition remains the right one.' Conservative party manifesto, April 2015 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3334745/Crisis-Cameron-net-migration-hits-new-record-high-336-000-despite-pledge-cut-tens-thousands.html