Christopher Hope, hosting Farage on GB News, highlighted new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealing that the UK’s population is set to reach 72.5 million by mid-2032. This increase of 5 million people within a decade is driven almost entirely by net migration.
Speaking on the issue, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the figures as alarming, pointing out that the UK’s population has already grown by over 10 million in the past 20 years. He criticized both Labour and the Conservative Party, accusing them of failing to control immigration despite repeated promises.
“The government builds 1.5 million homes, but that won’t even cope with the numbers arriving in the next five years, let alone fix the existing housing shortfall,” Farage argued.
He pointed to rising pressure on public services, including GP appointments, traffic congestion, and infrastructure, stating that the quality of life for ordinary Britons is being diminished as a direct result of mass immigration.
Farage went on to challenge the argument that mass immigration benefits the economy, citing data that of the 3 million non-EU migrants who arrived under Conservative governments, only 22% are in employment.
“For 20 years, we were told mass migration is ‘good for the economy’ because everyone who comes here works. That is a myth,” he said.
He argued that bringing in low-skilled workers puts a huge financial burden on British taxpayers, especially when dependents accompany new arrivals and place additional strain on public services such as healthcare and housing.
Chris Philp, representing the Conservative government, acknowledged that the figures were “staggeringly high” and pledged that they “must be stopped.” However, Farage dismissed the statement, calling it 14 years of failure, referencing the repeated promises made by the Tories in 2010, 2015, 2017, and 2019 to cut net migration—all of which have been broken.
“No one will take this government seriously. They’ve had years to fix this, yet net migration hit one million last year alone,” he said.
Labour, meanwhile, has offered no indication that it plans to reduce legal migration, nor has it provided a concrete strategy for controlling illegal crossings via the English Channel.
Explaining Reform UK’s stance, Farage stated that his party advocates for Net Zero immigration, which means no population growth due to migration. This does not mean zero migration but that the number of arrivals should be balanced by the number of people leaving the UK.
Under his plan, migration rules would be significantly tightened, particularly for low-skilled workers and those bringing dependents. He dismissed government claims that dependent visas are being restricted, arguing that such promises have been made for over a decade without any real action.
“We simply cannot afford to keep bringing in millions of people when our public services are already at breaking point,” he warned.
Farage argued that the real solution lies in tackling welfare dependency. He called for a major overhaul of the benefits system, stating that many unemployed Britons remain out of work because the current welfare model penalizes those who take jobs.
“If you’re on benefits and work more than 16 hours a week, you lose your benefits and end up worse off. That needs to change,” he explained.
He also warned that UK businesses rely too heavily on cheap foreign labour instead of training British workers. While he acknowledged that some high-skilled migration is necessary, particularly in areas like AI and engineering, he insisted that the UK already has talent in these fields, yet many are leaving due to economic instability.
Following the interview, a panel discussion featuring Sir Ranil Jayawardena, former Tory MP and Cabinet Minister, and journalist Joe Phillips debated the issue.
Jayawardena pushed back against Farage’s claims, arguing that some migration is needed to sustain industries such as healthcare and education. He pointed out that universities rely on international students, and a decline in foreign enrolment has already led to 400 job cuts at Cardiff University.
However, Phillips warned that the UK’s rapidly aging population will place further strain on public services, questioning who will care for the elderly if migration is heavily reduced.
“By 2047, the number of Britons over 85 will double to 3.3 million. If we don’t have a workforce ready to fill social care roles, who will look after them?” she asked.
Farage’s response was that the government should be encouraging British families to have more children, incentivizing homegrown workforce growth instead of relying on migration.
One of the key takeaways from the discussion was that Britain’s birth rate is declining. Jayawardena argued that support for families and incentives for people to have more children should be a major government focus.
“We cannot keep relying on migration to replace our workforce. We need long-term policies to support British families, increase the birth rate, and reduce dependence on imported labour,” he said.
Phillips, however, countered that past governments have failed to invest in training British workers, meaning essential roles like nursing and social care remain heavily reliant on migration.
As immigration remains one of the biggest concerns for British voters, the government faces mounting pressure to deliver real reductions, rather than just make more promises.
Farage’s message was clear:
“Mass migration is unsustainable. It’s driving down wages, crushing public services, and changing the country beyond recognition. If we don’t get a grip now, it will be too late.“
