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One third of people living in London were born abroad
Last updated at 12:07pm on 19.10.07
Shadow immigration minister Damian Green branded the number of foreigners moving to the UK unacceptable
One in three people living in London was born abroad and at least another 10,000 foreign-born citizens are settling in the capital each month.
Figures released show that out of a total Greater London population of 7.4 million, about five million were born in Britain.
The number of foreign-born Londoners increased from 2.3 million in June last year to almost 2.5 million 12 months later.
The figures, from the Office for National Statistics, show the biggest foreign-born communities include Indians (almost 200,000), Bangladeshis (115,000), Irish (113,000) and Jamaicans (108,000).
There are now just over 100,000 Poles living in London and there are also large Nigerian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan populations.
Merrick Cockell, chairman of London Councils, said the true figures could be even higher and called for more funding to help pay for essential services.
"London boroughs are struggling to meet the increasing population's demands for services such as social care and waste, while central government reaps all the economic benefits from international migration," he said.
"The Government must distribute these benefits in a fairer way."
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Jeremy Browne stressed cultural diversity brought huge benefits to the capital.
"London is a truly international city with a constantly evolving population," he said.
"The success of our financial markets and business climate are attracting a wide range of entrepreneurs and workers.
"That is creating a social vibrancy but the Government needs to respond to legitimate concerns about pressure on public services in some areas."
Shadow immigration minister Damian Green said the amount of foreigners moving to Britain was 'completely unacceptable' and called for an annual limit on the number of non-European Union migrants.
A Home Office spokesman said: "We know migration added about £6billion to our economy last year and London has shared in the benefits."
He said the independent Migration Impacts Forum would advise the Government on how migration affects public services and communities, both impact and benefits.
A new points system, based on the Australia model, for immigration will be introduced next year.
Reader views (6)
And of the other 2 thirds if you go back three generations most have foreign genes.
- Steve, London
I'm English, and I love living around all this diversity, thank god the old xenophobes are moving out of london.
- Daveb, London
As a londoner born and bred I can never ever remember being asked if I want the London that I knew and loved to become the place that it is today.
I am one of those that moved out as soon as the change began to take place many of the old one Londoners predicted what it would become and many were castigasted for it but how right they were.
- Pat, Sussex
It's why I hope to eventually move further out of London myself.
- Ciar, London
The government, civil service and the media all trot out the same old cliches such as our proud heritage of taking in immigrants and that cultural diversity brings huge benefits, and that immigration brings money into the economy. The figure of £6billion is quoted in the article can someone please explain to me how taking in immigrants can generate this money as we have got millions of our own people out of work and underskilled, surely we should be trying to train these people and get them into employment wouldn't that benefit the economy more?
- Paul Urban, London, UK
This is why the English people are all moving out of London. It will all end in a very ugly confrontation.
- Ross Jones, Brighton, England
