UK PM Reaffirms Pledge to Reduce Annual Net Migration to Fewer Than 100,000

The UK Conservative Party intends to keep the 'tens of thousands' target for reducing the net migration, which is affecting the most vulnerable groups of UK residents, Prime Minister Theresa May, the leader of the Conservatives, said Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The prime minister said that the effects of the migration were felt most acutely by those who were "on the lower end of the income scale."

"I think it is important that we continue, we will continue to say that we do want to bring net migration down to sustainable levels. We believe that is the tens of thousands," May said during a campaign visit in London, in a speech posted by the BBC broadcaster.

On Sunday, UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd told the BBC Radio 5 Live that it would be right to look at the targets for immigration again as the situation had changed after the United Kingdom decided to leave the European Union.

Rudd also reportedly said that the immigration inflow would have to be managed in accordance with the needs of UK businesses.

The Conservative Party won last year’s general elections on a campaign pledge to reduce net migration to Britain to below 100,000. According to the government's latest Migration Statistics Quarterly Report issued in February, the 2016 net migration was estimated to be 273,000.

The United Kingdom is scheduled to hold a general election on June 8.