Polish and Indian nationals push UK immigration up 1,200% since 1983

Immigration has soared by 1,200% since 1983, adding the equivalent of a city to Britain annually, say official figures.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the last full year for which figures are available (2013), net migration stood at the equivalent of the population of Portsmouth at 209,000.

This is in stark contrast of the 17,000 net migration figure - numbers of those coming to live in Britain minus those leaving - from 1983.

"This shows that it is absolutely imperative that immigration is brought under control," said Alp Mehmet, vice-chairman of Migration Watch, to the Telegraph.

"At the moment, frankly, it is far from under control. Given that population growth is now largely the result of immigration, it behoves us to think seriously about the measures we need to bring immigration and net migration down."

"I think that come the election campaign, parties will find that every time they knock on the door people are going to be saying: 'Yes but what about immigration?'"

ONS figures also show the UK population has jumped 14% since 1980, reaching 64 million by 2013.

This is largely blamed on the migration surge, which accounted for 75% of the population growth by 2005.

Polish and Indian nationals make up the greatest proportion of immigrants in Britain.

ONS data shows people born in India, who are now living permanently in the UK, has risen by 232,000 since 2004, reaching 734,000 by 2013.

Meanwhile, Polish nationals moving to Britain is rapidly set to overtake the number of Indian nationals permanently basing themselves in the UK as the number has risen seven times since 2004, reaching 679,000 by 2013.