LONDON, May 22, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Net migration to the UK dropped by half in 2024, the latest official figures showed on Thursday, in what will be a welcome boost for under-fire Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated the figure for last year stood at 431,000, a dramatic drop from the 860,000 recorded in the year to December 2023.

It was the biggest fall in net migration -- the difference between the numbers of people arriving in the UK and those leaving -- since the Covid pandemic.

"Long-term net migration is down by almost 50 percent," the ONS said in its latest report.

"We are seeing reductions in people arriving on work- and study-related visas," it added.

It had also recorded "an increase in emigration over the 12 months to December 2024", especially by those on work and study visas.

The previous Conservative government had toughed the rules for people applying for such visas, insisting on higher salaries and refusing permission for people to bring their families with them.

Migration has become a hot-button issue in UK politics and Starmer unveiled tough new policies on May 12 vowing to "finally take back control" of Britain's borders.

The measures included cutting overseas care workers, doubling the length of time before migrants can qualify for settlement and new powers to deport foreign criminals.

Starmer, who voted for the UK to remain part of the European Union, is under renewed pressure to tackle immigration following surprise gains by the anti-immigration Reform UK party in May local elections.

He said in his speech that Britain risked becoming "an island of strangers", triggering sharp criticism from within his own Labour party for his toughened rhetoric.

- 'Welcome drop' –

The aim of the new measures is to "reduce net migration substantially, with visa numbers falling by up to 100,000 a year by the end of this parliament" in 2029, the interior ministry said in a statement.

Interior minister Yvette Cooper said: "The 300,000 drop in net migration since the election is important and welcome after the figures quadrupled to nearly a million in the last parliament."

She added that nearly 30,000 unsuccessful asylum seekers, many arriving on UK shores in small boats, had been returned to their countries of origin since the general election in July.

But the figures also showed a rise in the numbers claiming asylum from 80,000 people in December 2023 to 95,000 people in December 2024.

And separate figures showed an increase in the numbers of irregular immigrants, with more than 13,500 arriving in the UK since the start of the year, many on small boats.

A woman and a child died off France's northern coast, found in an overloaded boat as they tried to cross the Channel to Britain, French authorities said Wednesday.

A total of 78 migrants died in 2024 while attempting to cross the Channel aboard small boats, a record since the rise of crossings in this area in 2018.

Conservative former home secretary James Cleverly said while Labour "will try to claim credit" for the fall in net migration, the changes were a result of policies enacted by his government.

"This drop is because of the visa rule changes that I put in place," he argued on X.

According to the latest poll of voting intentions by YouGov, the Reform party of hardliner Nigel Farage is ahead in the polls, with 29 percent support, compared to 22 percent for Labour.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats edged ahead of the Conservatives with 17 percent, who were relegated to fourth place on 16 percent.