Nigel Farage slams Boris Johnson for 'biggest Brexit betrayal' as immigration numbers rise

Nigel Farage slams Boris Johnson for 'biggest Brexit betrayal' as immigration numbers rise
rising immigration
Aden-Jay Wood

By Aden-Jay Wood


Published: 23/05/2022

- 20:13

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 11:18

Nigel said that while illegal immigration "worries us", the level of legal immigration is "huge"

Nigel Farage has hit out at Boris Johnson as immigration numbers continue to rise in the UK.

Speaking on GB News, Nigel said he believes people voted for Brexit after seeing the British population rising rapidly, adding that those voters aren't getting what they were promised.


The former Brexit Party leader also thinks that while illegal immigration "worries us", legal immigration is also a huge issue for the UK Government.

Nigel Farage
Nigel Farage
GB News

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent
Gareth Fuller

Speaking during a passionate tirade on the topic, Nigel said: “Why did we vote for Brexit? What was the main driver? I tell you what it was, open borders, it was people seeing the population of Britain rising rapidly and of course we go on about illegal immigration all the time.

“We saw the first speedboat crossing the English Channel, 250 in today, 250 odd in yesterday but that is nothing.

“That is actually dwarfed by what is happening legally with immigration in this country.

“Now the last figures we have year-on-year show that actually work visas issued were up to 240,000, family reunions, 280,000, student visas 430,000.

“So we have the visibility of illegal immigration across the English Channel and that worries us and puts a big burden upon us.”

He continued: “But the level of legal immigration is huge, it looks like we’re heading for a record year of net migration into the United Kingdom.

“This is not what we voted for either in the referendum or when we gave Boris Johnson a massive majority of 80.

“And we can talk about Northern Ireland, we can talk about fisheries, but this is the biggest Brexit betrayal.

“The fact is immigration numbers are going to be even bigger than they were under Tony Blair.”

As a result of the rising figures, Red Wall MPs have written to Priti Patel, saying that the “drastic increase” in net immigration “undeniably undermines” the Government’s Brexit promises.

Ministers also aired their concerns that net immigration this year “could be higher than any in recent history”, according to the Telegraph.

You may like