Key measure of immigration to the United Kingdom reaches record high

The official metric of migration, which calculates the balance between people arriving and leaving, found that there was net migration to Britain of 336,000 in the year to June, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This was a jump of 82,000 compared to the year to June 2014 and the highest estimate on record, the ONS said.

Experts reported immigration was at 636,000 - a "statistically significant" increase of 62,000 on the same period past year - while emigration fell 20,000 to 300,000.

The government aims to get net migration down to five figures by 2020.

Migration is key issue of promised 2017 referendum on European Union membership.

UK immigration is rising from both EU and non-EU countries

He said the majority of British people now favoured "Brexit" because of fears Europe was being overwhelmed by "what appears to many people to be an uncontrollable wave of migration".

Much of the influx to Britain has been driven by those coming for work, with 294,000 people immigrating for employment in the year to June.

"Our new Immigration Bill will address illegal working, the pull factors that draw migrants to Britain and the availability of public services which help them to remain here unlawfully", said immigration minister James Brokenshire.

"Since the migration crisis began earlier this summer, the poll numbers have changed and the most recent poll showed that by a small margin a majority are now in favor of leaving the EU".

'In the past it has been too easy for some businesses to bring in workers from overseas rather than to take the decision to train our workforce here at home'.

In addition, the number of babies born to foreign-born mothers previous year rose slightly to 27 per cent of the total - 188,000 of the 695,000 live births, the ONS said. "Anti-immigration rhetoric sends a depressing message about Britain's openness to the world, puts off investment, damages our worldwide standing and encourages foreign students and high-skilled workers to head to our global competitors".

More than two thirds (68%) of the long-term rise was said to be due to future net migration and the indirect impact of children born to migrants.

Campaign group Migration Watch UK lashed out at the "disappointing figures".

"If these numbers continue, the pressure on our infrastructure will intensify". However, the small print of yesterday's report showed that the 330,000 figure had been revised upwards to 336,000.