Immigration under Labour has soared eight-fold compared with the last decade of Tory rule, it emerged last night.
The astonishing impact of the Government's controversial 'open door' policy is revealed for the first time in a study by the independent House of Commons Library.
Between 1997 and 2006, the population increased by 1,196,000 as a direct result of immigration - the equivalent of almost 330 extra people arriving each day.
MPs said the study - which is based on official figures only and does not include any migrants who have sneaked into the country illegally - gave the clearest indication yet that Labour had deliberately presided over mass migration.
Tory MP James Clappison, who uncovered the research, said: 'This shows an historically unprecedented level of immigration has taken place under the Labour Government, as a direct result of its economic policies.'
In the preceding decade of Conservative rule, from 1987 to 1996, the increase was only 141,000.
The study, compiled by Parliamentary researchers earlier this month, also found that between 1980 and 1986 at the start of Margaret Thatcher's term in office the number of arrivals from overseas was outstripped by those leaving, with the population falling by 40,000.
