Why Conservatives should be cheering today’s immigration figures

When the headlines are about immigration reaching record levels, you would have thought Conservative MPs would be leaping forward to complain, condemn and demand crack-downs.

But I have faith.

I know Conservative MPs are smart enough to read beyond the headline number and get to this bit  in the ONS figures:

Immigration remained steady at 591,000. Declining emigration is the main driver for the increase in net migration.

In other words, fewer people are so fed up with the UK that they are leaving for abroad.

Surely that’s a fantastic vote of confidence in Britain?

So dust off your patriotic vocabulary, don your Union Jack boxer shorts, grab a passing bulldog and rejoice at this patriotic triumph.

Right?