‘The announcement of immediate Free Movement for workers from EU candidate countries on accession is a decision with potentially massive consequences. With other major economies delaying opening their labour markets, there could be a very substantial flow of East European labour into Britain. This, added to the very large inflow from the Third World, will place still further strain on our public services and make the South East even more over-crowded. Furthermore, the so called safeguards will be of little or no value since citizens of the candidate countries will not be counted in or out once they are members of the EU.’

Analysis of ONS National Population Projections
On 28 April 2026, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its 2024-based National Population Projections, a 100-year modelling projection covering the UK and its

