In an attempt to curb the population boom in the UK, Migration Watch UK launched an e-petition on Tuesday, calling on the government to stabilize the country's population and keep it well below the 70 million mark.

"Labour permitted foreign immigration of over three million in the face of strongly opposed public opinion. Politicians need reminding that this is an issue that is consistently one of the top concerns of voters and that it must be addressed soon," said Sir Andrew Green, the Chairman of Migration Watch UK, in a statement, "It is time to stop listening to those who support and, often, make money from the immigration 'industry' and consider the views of the people most directly affected. This, at last, is an opportunity for the man in the street to make his views heard where it counts."

According to newly released official projections, the country could hit the 70 million mark in 16 years; this is assuming that immigration will continue at 200,000 a year, compared to the 240,000 last year. The population, in 2010, was estimated to be 62.3 million.

This population increase of more than 7 million is the equivalent of building seven cities the size of Birmingham or fourteen the size of Manchester or Bristol. Two-thirds of that figure (approximately 5 million) will be as a result of future immigration. The numbers of immigrants, the Migration Watch statement suggests, must be stabilized at 40,000 to control population.

The e-petition can be found at: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/19658. In addition, the 2010 Population Projections can be found at: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_235886.pdf.