Figures show need for Government to get to grips with migration

The number you come up with is roughly the same as the net number of people who came to live in the UK last year.

This is clearly unsustainable, and goes a long way to explaining why the Government is now on a collision course with local councils over its pledge to build 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament.

Indeed, if the population continues to grow by the best part of a million new arrivals every year, these targets will barely touch the sides in meeting demand. Such rapid increases in population will also place similar strain on public services, with the need for more school places, GP appointments and hospital beds at a time when public finances are stretched to the limit.

New Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has admitted her party failed on immigration during its time in government, and based on these figures it seems hard to disagree. At the same time, it was frustrated at every turn by activist lawyers, and one can only presume that the present government will face similar obstacles.

Mrs Badenoch raises an interesting point when she says we also need to be concerned about a potential 'brain drain' if highly skilled or educated people choose to leave the country. But while managed migration, attracting the brightest and most talented people is clearly a good thing, unmanaged migration - which is what we have at the moment - could be potentially disastrous.

The Prime Minister accused the Conservatives of running a 'one-nation experiment in open borders', but time will tell whether his government is any more successful in managing migration.

For all our sakes, we hope he succeeds.