Ministers claim progress on immigration despite net inflows running at 685,000 last year - roughly equivalent to the population of Sheffield - and record level from 2022 being revised UP to 764,000

Ministers claimed progress today after net immigration dropped by 10 per cent last year - although it was still 685,000. Home Secretary James Cleverly said: 'The latest migration statistics show a 10 per cent fall in net migration last year, with visa applications down 25 per cent so far in 2024. The estimates show that non-EU immigration for work-related reasons increased from 277,000 in the year to December 2022 to 423,000 in the year to December 2023, replacing study as the main reason for long-term migration. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'These figures show the total Tory chaos and failure on immigration as net migration has more than trebled since Rishi Sunak and his party promised to get it down at the last election.