Net migration reached a record high of 906,000 last year

Net migration into the UK hit a record 906,000 in the year to June 2023, much higher than previously thought, official figures show.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) originally estimated it was 740,000 but has now revised this figure upwards by 166,000.

It said annual net migration - the difference between those entering and leaving the country - has since fallen to 728,000 in the year to June 2024.

Sir Keir Starmer seized on the figures - which cover a period before Labour took office - to accuse the Tories of “running an open borders experiment”.

He called the increase in net migration in recent years "off the scale". 

The PM promised that proposals for new laws to bring immigration down would be published "imminently".

Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the idea his party pursued an “open borders experiment” in government was “clearly nonsense”.

He said Sir Keir had "no credibility" on migration and what he had announced had "almost no substance".