Boris Johnson
Prime Minister · 2019–2022
In one sentence
Scrapped the net-migration target, then ran the most liberal work-and-study system in modern British history.
Johnson won an election on 'take back control.' His government abolished the net-migration target, built a points-based system that was liberal by design, and opened two giant taps: the Health and Care Worker visa (with dependants) and a student route that also allowed dependants. Non-EU inflows exploded. Net migration was already heading toward the 2023 peak of 944,000 on rules he signed off. Rwanda was announced on his watch; the first flight was grounded by a Strasbourg Rule 39 order in June 2022. He is the Conservative most responsible for the legal-migration surge that dwarfed the boats.
We will take back control of our borders.
What they did
2019
Target scrapped
The 'tens of thousands' goal died. No replacement cap was set.
2021
Health and Care Worker visa
A shortage-occupation route with dependants attached. Care became the single biggest work inflow; exploitation followed; numbers soared.
2021–2022
Students and dependants
Graduate visa plus dependants turned universities into a migration channel. Humanitarian routes (Hong Kong BN(O), Ukraine, Afghanistan) added more, on top.
14 Apr 2022
Rwanda announced
Partnership signed. First flight, 14 June 2022, grounded after the European Court of Human Rights issued a Rule 39 interim measure in N.S.K. v United Kingdom.
How they voted
Blocked it / opened it means they voted against tighter rules, or for the Human Rights Act. Backed it means they voted for a tightening bill.
| Bill | What they did | Note |
|---|---|---|
NABA 2022 2022 | Backed it | His government bill. |
Sources: ONS; MAC; Home Office visa statistics; ECHR N.S.K. v UK (2022)