Migrant population up half a million over last 3 years

The migrant population of England has risen by 565,000 since 2011, two thirds of which have come from the EU, according to research from the University of Oxford.

Researchers used data from the latest Official Labour Force Survey to assess local demographics of migration in England in an effort to inform debates centred on immigration in the run-up to the general election.

The numbers are based on projections, not official counts, and are based on a "strong assumption" that the geographical distribution of new migrants have remained largely unchanged over the three years.

London appeared to have the biggest increase in migrant population, up by an estimated 189,000. At the other end of the spectrum, the north east population rose by 26,000 and the south west rose by 30,000.