Why They Won't Fix UK Immigration Crisis

For more than a decade, British politicians have promised to reduce immigration. The UK voted for Brexit, ended freedom of movement with the European Union, introduced a new points-based immigration system, and repeatedly promised to “take back control” of its borders.

Yet immigration reached record levels.

So how did Britain get here?

In this video, we trace the history of immigration to the United Kingdom, from the post-war migration boom to Brexit and the dramatic rise in non-EU immigration that followed.

We also examine how student and work visas are being exploited, the growing controversy surrounding asylum and illegal Channel crossings, and the economic incentives that make reducing immigration far more difficult than politicians often admit.

Because Britain’s immigration crisis reveals a much bigger contradiction facing developed countries today: voters increasingly want less immigration, while large parts of their economies have become increasingly dependent on it.

This is the story of how Britain lost control of immigration — and why taking that control back has proven so difficult.