Immigration plans should go FURTHER declares Tory MP as he asks: 'Why wasn't this done earlier?'
Conservative MP Tom Hunt gives his view on the government's recent announcement.
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Conseravtive MP Tom Hunt has criticised Rishi Sunak's for only announcing his immigration plan this week, asking: "The obvious question is why wasn't it introduced a fair while ago?"
Speaking to Community Editor Michael Heaver, the Ipswich MP said that this week's announcement on plans to cut levels of migration was "a step forward" but urged the Government to go further.
Earlier this week Home Secretary James Cleverly, unveiled a five-point plan aimed at cutting the number of people coming to the UK by around 160,000.
The measures come on top of a previously announced curb on student dependants which officials hope will cut numbers by about 140,000.
Net migration hit a record 745,000 in 2022, although it is estimated to have fallen to 672,000 in the year to June 2023.
Giving his view, Hunt said: "What was announced, the significant increase in the the income threshold I'd like if it was implemented immediately."
He continued: "I also like the stuff on dependents of health and social care workers, but it could have gone a bit further in some areas. It could have gone even further on students.
"But the obvious question is why? Why now?
"The obvious question is why wasn't it introduced a fair while ago? Because we had some pretty shocking ONS statistics around the summer time.
"So I would have thought that would be the obvious time to have done something. And in fact, I actually published a report with 12 recommendations to do something about it.
"So yeah, I welcome it. But it it's ever so slightly frustrating it's taken this long."