IEA Editorial Director Kristian Niemietz has written for CapX countering claims that the UK cannot cope with significant increases in population.

Kristian wrote:

“The ONS forecast implies a population growth rate of about 0.6% per annum. That is a lot. But it is not, in any way, exceptional – neither by international nor by historical standards.

“In the 19^th century, the population of England used to grow by more than 1% per annum, so over the course of the century as a whole, it more than trebled, from under 10m to over 30m. This was also an era of steady improvements in virtually every respect. Britain became richer, housing became more affordable, the country became more mobile, and the population’s health was improving, as indicated by the rising life expectancy and falling infant mortality.

“The fact that Britain is not building housing and infrastructure is a huge problem in its own right, and it would still be one even if we had the kind of immigration system that Nigel Farage would be happy with.”

Read Kristian’s full piece here.