TO U.K. : MIGRATION FALLS LOWEST

LONDON : migration to UK falls to lowest level in six years. 

Net migration to Britain fell to its lowest level in nearly six years during the year to June, driven by a fall in the number at European Union citizens moving to the country for work ahead of Brexit, official data showed on Thursday.

The Office for National Statistics said 212,000 more people moved to Britain than left, the lowest total since the year on September 2013.

Immigration of EU citizens fell to 199,000 the lowest level since the year ending March 2013, the ONS said, extending a declining trend since the 2016 referendum, when Britons voted by 52% to 48% to leave the EU.

By contrast, 151,000 EU citizens left Britain in the year to June, the largest total since records started 10 years ago.

Immigration is a hot political issue ahead of the Dec 12 national election.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to limit the number of people coming to Britain by implementing an Australian style points system, while the opposition Labour Party said migration policy should fit the needs of the economy. [Reuters]