Net migration from the EU falls to its LOWEST level since 2015, new figures reveal

Net migration from the European Union to Britain in April to June was 9,000
This is the lowest number since the quarterly records began in 2015, ONS said
Theresa May has made regaining control of Brotain's borders a Brxit red line

By Kate Ferguson, Political Correspondent For Mailonline

Published: 19:38 GMT, 19 December 2017 | Updated: 21:53 GMT, 19 December 2017

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Net immigration from the EU plummeted to its lowest level for three years - with just 9,000 moving to the UK in three months this year, new figures reveal.

Experts said the Brexit vote has prompted the sharp fall in the figures as more Europeans look to move back home.

The Office for National Statistics said that from April to June this year 39,000 EU nationals moved to Britain, but 30,000 left.

This means that net immigration from the EU stood at just 9,000 for the three months - the lowest the ONS began publishing the figures in early 2015.

The ONS did warn that there are big seasonal fluctuations in how many EU migrants move in and out of Britain - as many come to the UK for seasonal work.

The Office for National Statistics said that from April to June this year 39,000 EU nationals moved to Britain, but 30,000 left from April to June this year. Theresa May, pictured in the Commons yesterday, has made curbing immigration a red-line in the Brexit negotiations

The breakdown, which was released by ONS to the Financial Times, comes after annual figures showed immigration had tumbled in the wake of the referendum.

Official figures show 230,000 more people came to the UK than left in the year to June - down from a record high of 336,000 in the 12 months before the historic Brexit vote.

It is the largest decrease in net long-term migration in any 12-month period since records began in 1964.

Commenting on the quarterly figures, Madeleine Sumpton, director of he migration Observatory at Oxford University, told the newspaper: 'The fact that the decline was so sudden and the timing coincidental with he referendum suggests Brexit played a significant role.'

Official figures show 230,000 more people came to the UK than left in the year to June - down from a record high of 336,000 in the 12 months before the historic Brexit vote

Theresa May has pledged to make curbing immigration a red-line in the Brexit negotiations.

And she has stuck to her Government target to get net figures down to below 100,000 a year.

Getting net migration down to more manageable levels was a key demand of voters in the EU referendum.

Britons were concerns hat high rates of immigration was placing an unsustainable strain on services like schools, housing and hospitals.