"most European migrants came here to work paid our taxes"That's the thing most European migrants came here to work paid our taxes and a lot plan to return home after a period in this country as proved by the post Brexit exit.Meanwhile a lot of non European migrants do come here for family reasons and are more likely to stay .So purely economically the European migrants almost certainly boosted our economy.It is more likely that someone moving much longer distances will lose ties with their original home while European migrants can return home more cheaply and regularly.
Actually I don't think that is true.
Not because they were tax-dodgers- but because many were on Minimum Wage, so paid little or no tax.
About 3 years ago. Labour commentators noted that UK wage growth was the lowest in Europe - apart from Greece.
"Average" income is usually the Median (otherwise a handful of millionaires would distort upwards.)
If (say) a million immigrants arrive to work in the fields and in hospitality - almost all under the current Median Income - then it is hardly surprising if the new Median is lower.
The fact that the Median Income rose at all was a miracle !
Very approx
Minimum Wage £12,500
Threshold to pay Tax £12,500
Median Income £31,000