Britannia Radio

Thousand people an hour sign up to e-petitions website calling for debate on migration

By James Slack

Last updated at 12:33 AM on 2nd November 2011

A petition calling for drastic action to prevent the UK's population soaring to 70million was yesterday backed by 1,000 people every hour.

The huge response to the campaign by Migration Watch means it is already one of the most popular e-petitions on the Downing Street website.

By 6pm yesterday – 18 hours after its official launch – there were 18,000 signatures.

Late last night, the total stood at 24,000.

Crowded: The latest official projections show that the population of the UK will increase from 62.3million in 2010 to 70million in 16 years' time.

It means the campaign to secure a Parliamentary debate on the need for stricter border controls to bring population growth under control is already almost a fifth of the way to its target of 100,000 names.

Any petition which reaches 100,000 must be considered by a committee of MPs for a full debate.

Sir Andrew Green, the Migration Watch chairman, said: 'This is a very remarkable start. It shows the strength of public feeling – but we now need to maintain the momentum if politicians are to get the message that serious action is required.'

'Remarkable': Sir Andrew Green, head of MigrationWatch UK, has welcomed the petition's popularity

The e-petition calls on David Cameron to clamp down on immigration, which is seen as the major factor behind the rising population.

National statisticians predict the UK will be home to 70million people within 16 years – with two thirds of the increase being the result of future immigration.

Campaign groups believe 70million is the 'tipping point' at which the population – estimated to be 62.3million in 2010 – will become unsustainable in terms of schools, hospitals and housing.

The Home Office has announced a string of policies top reduce net migration – which currently stands at 240,000 a year.

These include a crackdown on student visas and non-EU economic migrants.

But the Liberal Democrats, who are in favour of mass immigration, have repeatedly tried to water down the proposals.

The Migration Watch e-petition can be found at:http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/19658

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Comments (79)

Here's what readers have had to say so far.......

The only trouble is unless we are out of the EU we are going to have no control. People have to sign the two most popular petitions on a referendum on the EU as well. Get back on there and sign.