By KUNA,
London : England is set to become the most crowded country in Europe as its population grows by one-third over the next 50 years, according to official projections Tuesday.
There are currently some 50 million people in England, but by 2056 this could hit 68 million, 1,349 for every square mile.
The population density now is around 1,010. In London, the figure could rise from 12,377 to 13,910 over the next two decades.
Britains main opposition Conservatives, who obtained the data from the Office for National Statistics, demanded restrictions on migration levels.
The Conservative Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green said “This demonstrates the real pressure public services are being put under as a result of Labour’s immigration policy.” “London aside, the biggest population rises will be in the east and south-west of England, up 16 percent by 2029, while the north-east of the country is expected to remain static.” Scotland’s level will remain the same at 171 per square mile, Wales will have 15 percent more residents by 2056 and Northern Ireland will have one-fifth more.