The population of England and Wales saw the biggest annual increase in 75 years to just under 61 million people, according to new estimates.

The Office for National Statistics estimates there are just under 61 million people living in the two nations.

The rise in the year leading up to mid2023 is mostly due to immigration. 622,000 more people arrived legally from outside the UK than left.

By comparison, there were only 400 extra people in England and Wales as a result of births outnumbering deaths, the lowest socalled 'natural change' to the population since mid1978.

Labour have pledged to 'reduce' net migration, but unlike the Tories did not commit to a legally binding limit in their manifesto.

It's also been reported today that Labour are delaying legal restrictions on foreign workers until next year.

Close to 1.1 million people arrived legally from outside the UK in the year leading up to mid2023.

When you take away the number who left, you end up with an extra 622,000 people.

By comparison, there were only 400 extra people in England and Wales as a result of births outnumbering deaths.

This rate of socalled 'natural change' in the population was the lowest since mid1978.

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