The Liberal Democrats have accused the Conservatives of turning the UK into “a hostile environment for everyone”, as new official figures show that the number of Brits moving abroad has reached its highest level in more than six years.
The latest Migration Statistics, published by the Office for National Statistics, show that 140,000 British people emigrated in the year to September 2019, up 16% on the previous year and the highest 12-month total since April 2012 to March 2013.
Responding to the figures, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “The Conservatives are driving people away through a combination of badly mismanaging the economy and imposing nasty social policies. Is this what they meant by Global Britain?
“This is a Tory Government that’s been deliberately trying to turn the UK into a hostile environment for immigrants, but these figures show they’ve made it a hostile environment for everyone.
“Liberal Democrats will oppose this Conservative Government’s destructive policies and fight to build a fairer, more prosperous country where everyone can live with dignity and respect.”