Leading article: The truth about migration

Not so long ago, the headlines were full of dire warnings about the number of Poles and other East and Central European migrants who were entering Britain. We were told that public services in market towns were being put under intolerable strain and that local transport networks were at breaking point. The question troubling House of Commons committees and Whitehall mandarins was what measures could be taken to mitigate the social impact of such migration. But the latest Home Office figures suggest that our political masters have been fighting the last war. The number of East and Central European migrants seeking work in this country has fallen to its lowest level since EU enlargement four years ago. Applications for employment between April and June this year were lower than at any time since 2004. These figures demonstrate... [read full story]