Reform UK politician Ben Habib has warned that Britain faces “population replacement” following new migration projections.
Speaking on GB News, Habib claimed the UK’s cultural values are “being set aside” due to immigration levels.
“We’re not moving forward as an integrated, settled, homogenous culture or country,” he said, warning that Britain is developing “silos of multiculturalism” with different cultures “operating independently of the United Kingdom.”
The UK population is projected to reach 72.5 million by mid-2032, up from 67.6 million in mid-2022, according to new Office for National Statistics figures.
Ben Habib is fearful of what the future may hold for Britain
ONS / GB NEWS
The increase of nearly five million people will be driven almost entirely by net migration, with an estimated 4.9 million more people arriving than leaving over the decade.
The growth rate of 7.3 per cent is higher than the previous 10-year period, which saw a 6.1 per cent increase.
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Population growth over the last 50 years in each ten year periodFacts4EUEngland’s population is projected to grow more quickly than other UK nations, with a 7.8 per cent increase expected by mid-2032.
Wales is forecast to see the second-highest growth at 5.9 per cent.
Scotland’s population is set to increase by 4.4 per cent over the same period.
Northern Ireland shows the lowest projected growth among UK nations at 2.1 per cent.
Ben Habib joined Martin Daubney on GB News
GB NEWS
Between mid-2022 and mid-2032, the ONS projects 6.8 million births and 6.8 million deaths in the UK.
The figures assume net migration will settle at 340,000 annually from mid-2028 onwards.
This comes after net migration reached a record of more than 900,000 in the year to June 2023.
The projections also indicate an ageing population, with the number of people aged over 85 expected to nearly double to 3.3 million by 2047.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp called the immigration figures “shocking and unacceptable,” saying they must be “stopped from materialising.”
“Ten million arrivals over 10 years is far too high,” he said, calling for “a binding legal cap on visas.”
Habib warned that “DEI (Diversity, Equality and Inclusion), coupled with this rampant immigration that we’ve got, is going to be the end of this country.”
Downing Street indicated it wants to reduce migration numbers, while rejecting calls for hard visa caps.
The population growth projections could deliver positive economic impacts, according to the Resolution Foundation think tank.
“A larger working-age population means a bigger economy, more workers, and higher tax receipts, which should deliver a fiscal boost of around 5 billion pounds a year by the end of the decade,” said Adam Corlett, principal economist at the foundation.
The increased population is expected to benefit finance minister Rachel Reeves by boosting the forecast size of the UK economy.